


A Flare in the Night

by toocleverfox



Series: A Flare in the Night [1]
Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 17 year old Johnny Storm, 17 year old Peter Parker, Canon Compliant, M/M, Past Character Death, Peter Parker is Trans, and also bisexual, since Johnny and Miles and Kate aren't in the MCU, takes place between Endgame and Far From Home so it's canon compliant but also not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-23 17:21:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19705981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toocleverfox/pseuds/toocleverfox
Summary: Before Peter can say anything, the boy’s body lights up like a star and he lifts off the ground, rising quickly. He’s at the top of the roofs of the surrounding buildings, still flying upwards, when Peter finally speaks up.“Can I at least get a name?” Peter calls before he can get too far away. “I mean not your real name, obviously-”“It’s the Human Torch,” the boy yells down at him and he’s too high up for Peter to see his face, but Peter thinks he might be smirking.Takes place between Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home.





	A Flare in the Night

**Author's Note:**

> Major spoilers for Avengers: Endgame!

_“Hold me in this wild, wild world_

_‘Cause in your warmth I forget how cold it can be_

_And in your heat I feel how cold it can get_

_So draw me close, draw me close”_

\- Warmth by Bastille

Peter’s sitting on a rooftop overlooking the city when he first sees him. Well, he doesn’t actually notice him at first, rather his senses start tingling, letting him know something is coming. And he also doesn’t realize who _him_ is of course, not in that moment. 

Swiftly, Peter jumps to his feet and prepares for an attack, looking around for the threat. He frowns, not seeing anything and slowly lowers his guard right as a fireball whizzes past him. Peter drops to his stomach and waits for a moment, eyes scanning the rooftop. When nothing lunges at him, he wiggles his way to the ledge where he peeks his head over to watch the ball of flame barrel past buildings. It seems to slow down as it reaches the outskirts of the busier parts of the city. 

“What the hell?” he whispers to himself. “Hey Karen?” 

_Yes, Peter?_ the AI acknowledges him.

“What is that?” he asks, still watching the fireball intently. From a distance, it seems to sputter out and slowly descend before vanishing into an alleyway. “The way it moved kind of looked sentient.” 

_From what I am picking up it seems what you saw was a human,_ Karen informs him.

Peter frowns. “A human? How is that possible?” he asks himself as he begins to make his way towards the alley, only swinging when necessary to stay out of sight. 

Karen, hearing him ask a question, answers. _Well, you are currently climbing up a wall and shooting webs. A person made of fire does not seem too far fetched._

Laughing quietly, Peter responds, “I’m so glad I added humor into your operating system.”

_I am glad too, Peter._

He crawls up to the top of a rundown building that’s situated next to the alleyway where the fireball disappeared into. Peter leans over the top to look down and gasps silently. 

There’s a person at the end of the alley, looking down at their hands. Their head is on fire, which looks incredibly odd with the rest of their very normal body. They’re wearing a blue and black skin tight suit and they’re shaking their hands out in front of them. The person lifts one of their hands closer to their face before it becomes engulfed in flames. The fire is extinguished as quick as it came and the person shakes their head. Well, Peter thinks they shake their head. The whole fire thing makes it look kind of strange. 

“What do you think they’re doing?” Peter whispers.

Karen immediately responds. _It seems they may be testing out their powers._

Peter hums. “Do you think they’re a threat?”

_I do not believe so, but I would be cautious if you plan to approach._

“Noted,” Peter says and swings down into the alley, landing silently on his feet. The person doesn’t notice his presence and continues playing with their hands. They stick a foot out in front of them and it also lights up with fire. 

“Sick!” the person exclaims to themself, wiggling their foot. 

The person sounds an awful lot like a teenage boy and it makes Peter pause. He walks a step closer and looks the person over. The skin tight suit shows off a lot more than Peter would like to see, but it’s clear the boy must be some type of superhuman. A villain would not be in an alleyway freaking out over their powers.

At least, he doesn’t think so. 

Peter checks the boy over once more, deeming him not much of a threat, before clearing his throat.

The teen jumps and spins around, throwing his hands out in front of him and shooting fire straight at Peter’s face.

Okay, so maybe he was wrong and this guy is a little bit of a threat. He meant it as more of a I-Don’t-Think-He-Wants-Me-Dead-So-He-Must-Be-Cool type of thing. Thankfully for his sixth sense, he has time to dodge out of the way and quickly throw up his hands. 

“Hey! Hey, it’s fine, I swear I’m not going to hurt you,” he says, hands still held up to calm the other boy down. “It’s okay.” 

The teen backs up until he’s almost against the brick wall, hands raised. “Oh.” He looks Peter up and down before he relaxes slightly, arms drooping. “Are you Spider-Man?” he asks.

Peter rubs the back of his neck. “Y-yeah that’s me, and it’d be cool if you didn’t try and kill me. I get enough of that as it is.”

To Peter’s surprise, the boy laughs. He’s hesitant and his head is still on fire so his smile is literally blinding Peter, but the sound of his laugh is sweet to Peter’s ears.

“You new at this?” Peter asks, gesturing to the boy’s head and hands. 

The boy looks down at his hands and they turn to fire before burning out again. “Is it obvious?” he asks, looking sideways at Peter with one eyebrow raised. 

Peter slowly inches his way closer to the other boy as he talks. “Trust me, you’re handling this a lot better than I did when I got all this.” He gestures to himself and then throws his hand out to the side, shooting out a web that sticks to the wall, all while still watching the other boy. The other teen looks at the web in awe. “It’ll get easier,” Peter smiles, hoping he looks convincing. 

The guy looks back at Peter and grins warmly. “I-” 

Sirens sound nearby and the boy flinches, smile dropping. He glances at the entrance of the alleyway and then back at Peter. He seems to hesitate for a moment and then steps back. “I should go.”

Before Peter can say anything, the boy’s body lights up like a star and he lifts off the ground, rising quickly. He’s at the top of the roofs of the surrounding buildings, still flying upwards, when Peter finally speaks up.

“Can I at least get a name?” Peter calls before he can get too far away. “I mean not your real name, obviously-”

“It’s the Human Torch,” the boy yells down at him and he’s too high up for Peter to see his face, but Peter thinks he might be smirking. Then he’s blazing up into the sky, burning away from Peter, who’s watching him vanish with wide eyes. 

Peter grins all the way home. 

~~~~__________

“You met the _Human Torch_?" Ned squeals the next day during lunch. 

Peter pulls the fork out of his mouth and shushes him as he looks around, but no one seems to be taking any notice of them. He turns back to Ned and frowns. “Okay, what? You know him?” he asks as he continues chewing.

Ned gives Peter a look. “I know _of_ him. From what I’ve seen on the internet a lot of new superheroes emerged while we were, um…” Ned trails off and looks down at his plate. 

Peter doesn’t need him to finish his sentence. He knows he’s talking about the five years they missed. The five years they’ll never get back. _The Blip_ , as they were all calling it. 

Ned clears his throat. “Yeah, so he’s part of the Fantastic Four. They kinda stay low and out of the media’s way but people on the internet love them. They’re vigilantes, like you… Just not as famous, I guess. I don’t blame them for not being out in the open, I mean you become a target you know? And after the Battle of New York and then Ultron and then that Thanos guy-”

 _Nope, not going there_ , Peter thinks as he cuts his friend off. “Ned, calm down. Why are you so excited about this? Spider-Man is your _best friend_ , need I remind you,” he whispers. 

Ned rolls his eyes and takes a bite of his sandwich. “I mean, yeah, but they’re so cool, like in a different kind of way,” he says through a mouthful of food. “I’ve known you my whole life while these guys are new and mysterious.” 

Peter wants to feel offended by that, but Ned’s right. Mysterious superheroes are pretty interesting.

Still keeping his voice low, Ned says, “You’re the one who’s the superhero and yet you’ve never heard of him?” 

Peter scoffs. “It’s not like we all have a group chat or something.”

Ned looks at him as if to say _wait you guys don’t?_ and shrugs. “So what was he like?” He asks instead, picking at his sandwich.

Shoveling more food into his mouth, Peter shrugs. “Like a normal teenager. And he clearly hasn’t had his powers for long,” he adds. “He reminded me a lot of myself when I first got mine.”

Ned gapes at Peter. “Hold up, the Human Torch is _our age_?”

“I mean I think so.” Peter thinks back to how the Human Torch had acted. How he’d yelled ‘sick!’ when his foot had flamed up. He’s definitely somewhere close to their age. “He seemed like it.”

Ned’s eyes are wide as he leans across the table. “Dude, no one knows much about the Fantastic Four. They’re like _really_ secretive, plus the Human Torch is usually… well, a human torch, so no one has seen his face. I thought he was like thirty or something!” 

“No, no I’m positive he was a teenager. Or at least somewhere close to our age,” he says and moves the food around on his plate. 

Ned squeals again. “This is awesome!” He freezes and looks at Peter. “What if he goes to our school? Peter, you have to become his friend!”

“What?” he laughs. “Ned, I don’t even know what he looks like.” 

“Do you think you could guess?” his friend asks. 

“I mean, maybe if I heard his voice. I only talked to him for like a minute though.”

Ned starts scanning the cafeteria. “Okay, but if you had to guess, who do you think he could be?”

Peter indulges Ned’s curiosity and looks around at his peers. His eyes flick over each student, not really focusing on anyone. How is he supposed to just guess who the Human Torch is from five seconds of interaction? 

He jumps when MJ drops her tray on the table. She sits down next to them and frowns. “What are you guys looking at?” She turns her head around to see where they’re looking. She turns back and smirks in Peter’s direction. “Does Peter have another crush on a girl who’s way out of his league?”

Peter ignores her jab and shakes his head. 

Before he can say anything, Ned jumps in. “Peter met the Human Torch last night on patrol! He thinks he’s our age so we’re trying to see if he goes here… except that Peter doesn’t know what he looks like.”

“Let me get this straight, you’re just going to look at people and _guess_?” MJ asks. Ned nods and she laughs. “You do know how dumb that sounds, right? Ned, you didn’t even realize Peter was Spider-Man and he’s your _best friend_.”

Peter points at MJ with his fork. “True.”

She rolls her eyes and begins eating. “For a couple of geniuses, you guys can be stupid sometimes.” 

Peter and Ned simultaneously scowl at her. 

“I don’t know if that was supposed to be a compliment or not so I’m just going to ignore it all together,” Ned says to MJ. He turns to Peter and asks, “Are you gonna try to see him again?”

Peter shrugs. “If I run into him, I run into him.” He stands up to throw away his trash and adds, “New York is a big place though. I doubt I’ll be seeing him any time soon.”

__________

Much to Peter’s delight, though he won’t admit it if anyone asks, he actually does see the Human Torch sooner than he thought.

He’s on patrol again, mostly doing it just to clear his mind, when he spots a fire on a rooftop. He thinks it’s probably a small fire that just started and he’s about to tell Karen to alert the fire department, when he gets closer and realizes it’s the Human Torch. 

He grins and swings down onto the rooftop as the other boy swivels around. His head is still on fire while the rest of his body is normal and, thankfully, he’s smiling at Peter.

Peter was afraid he had scared him away for good, that the next time they ran into each other the Human Torch would bolt. If Peter was in his position, he probably would’ve ran as soon as he saw the other boy in that alleyway. 

“Hi, Spider-Man,” the Human Torch greets him, giving him a little wave. 

“Hey, Torch,” he greets him back. He walks closer and sits down next to him, so they’re sitting side by side, though Peter remembers to give the guy some space. They don’t know each other very well and he doesn’t want to lose his chance at befriending another superhero. The Human Torch has his knees up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. Peter wants to make him feel more comfortable so he sticks his legs out in front of him and leans back on his hands, trying to act casual.

The Human Torch frowns and tilts his head slightly.

 _Oh no,_ Peter thinks. _Did I already mess it up? Is that a new record for me?_

“‘Torch?’” The other boy asks about the nickname.

Peter’s eyes widen. “Oh! I-I’m sorry, do you not want me to call you that?” He stutters out.

A mantra of _idiot, idiot, idiot_ runs through his head as he watches the other boy’s reaction.

“No, no, it’s fine! I like it,” he grins. He looks a little looser than he did before, but he still has his knees up to his chest, cheek resting on them as he looks at Peter. It’s still odd to Peter how his whole head is on fire but he seems perfectly content with it. “Does that mean I can call you Spidey? It’s a lot easier than saying Spider-Man.”

“Yeah! Yeah,” Peter squeaks and feels his face heat up, thankful to be wearing a mask. “That’s cool.”

“Cool.”

Peter looks away, out at the city that’s lighting up as the sun slowly sets. He can see Torch watching him from the corner of his eye. 

Peter clears his throat and looks back at him. “So… How long have you had your powers?”

“Well, I...” Torch starts, then shakes his head. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be telling you this.”

Peter turns back to face the other boy, feeling slightly hurt that Torch doesn’t trust him. Of course the other boy wouldn’t trust him, they’ve barely spoken more than a few sentences. Torch doesn’t know if Peter really is a good guy. So why is he still a little hurt anyway?

“Why not?” he pouts, though he knows Torch can’t see it under the mask.

Torch looks at his feet, absently scuffing his shoe into the ground. “My sister and I both have powers and she doesn’t want people to know about us. She wants us to help people, of course, but she also wants us to stay hidden.” He looks back up at the setting sun. “In and out. We protect people and then vanish again.”

“If you’re in the limelight for too long you become a target,” Peter says, repeating Ned’s words from the other day.

Torch startles. “Yeah, yeah you do,” he says slowly, looking at Peter in a way that makes him feel seen for the first time, like the other boy can actually see _something_ under the mask.

“We’re both in the same boat here. You can trust me,” Peter says. “I promise.”

Torch keeps staring at Peter in a way that makes him want to break eye contact. Peter hopes he doesn’t have x-ray vision he conveniently forgot to mention. Torch must find something that eases his mind because he sighs and starts talking. “Okay, well it’s not just me and my sister who have powers now. It’s also her boyfriend and our friend. We all got into this mess together. I don’t want to say too much about how we got them though. Sorry,” he says, looking sideways at Peter. 

Peter shrugs and waits for him to continue.

“It all happened only a few days before… before half the population vanished. Suddenly me, my sister and her boyfriend are gone and then the next second we’re back, but our friend is freaking out and telling us we’ve been gone for five years. We had left him alone for _years_ and we didn’t even know.” He pauses, eyes distant. “I used to believe the people who survived were the lucky ones, but now I don’t think that’s true anymore.”

Peter nods silently, watching the last rays of light fade. Half the planet had been forced to watch loved ones vanish, with no way to stop it. Peter’d never had to watch his family and friends turn to dust all around him. He hadn’t been forced to move on from the aftermath without closure, without any understanding as to what had just happened.

“Maybe we were the lucky ones,” he agrees.

He remembers how Mr. Stark had hugged him when he came back. How for Peter it was only a few seconds, but for him it had been years. What would he have done if it had been the other way around? If he had lived and had watched Mr. Stark disappear before his eyes. He would have had to live his life without someone he saw as a father figure there to support him. _Again_. At least he had gotten a chance to say goodbye before- 

Torch continues talking, letting Peter divert his mind somewhere less dangerous. “One of my friends survived it and I wouldn’t have met him if all this hadn’t happened. He would’ve been five years younger than me. So I guess it wasn’t all bad,” he says as he shrugs.

Peter huffs out a small laugh. “Do you always try to look on the bright side of things?”

“When I can,” he says and moves, crossing his legs and leaning closer to Peter. He lights up his hands and wiggles them in front of Peter’s face. “It’s a lot easier now being a literal human flame.”

Peter grins. “Oh, you have jokes too? Who knew?” 

“Actually,” he says, moving to copy the way Peter is sitting, stretching his legs out and leaning back on one of his hands. Torch uses his other hand to gesture as he speaks and Peter finds it oddly endearing. “My fanbase on the internet is well aware. I’m known as a comedic genius on the battlefield.” 

“Oh, I’m sure of it,” agrees Peter, nodding along and trying to hold in his laughter.

Torch snorts and lightly punches Peter’s shoulder. 

They lapse into silence and Peter glances at Torch and takes a deep breath. “Okay, I know you don’t want to tell me anything about yourself but can I at least know how old you are? I kinda have a bet with my friend.”

To Peter’s surprise the other boy just laughs at him. “A bet?”

“I actually had no idea you existed until I saw you in the alleyway, but after I told my friend I met you he said you’re kinda famous.” Peter rubs the back of his neck and looks out at the city. “I said that I think you’re a teenager, but he thinks you’re in your late twenties. I guess that’s what most people on the internet are speculating.” 

Torch laughs, throwing his head back and Peter steals a glance at him. He shakes his head. “No, no.” He laughs again. “I’m seventeen.”

 _Thank God_ , Peter almost groans out loud. _A superhero who’s actually my age for once!_

“Me too!” He exclaims.

“Wait, _the_ Spider-Man is the same age as me?” He actually sounds excited and Peter realizes Torch probably didn’t think there were any kids his age that also had powers. 

“What? You thought I was the twenty something year old?”

Torch shakes his head, flames dancing. “I assumed you were somewhere around my age. Your voice kinda gives it away,” he points out.

Peter looks down at his hands and lets out what he hopes is a convincing laugh. “Yeah, I guess.” 

He’s still a little self conscious about his voice, especially after that man in the parking garage had told him he sounded like a girl. At least he’d webbed him to his car for that, even if Peter had felt bad about it afterwards. 

How would the Human Torch react if he found out New York’s famous Spider-Man was trans? He’d be cool with it… wouldn’t he?

“I should go,” Torch says, standing up and cutting off Peter’s thoughts. “My sister will freak if she finds out I’m not home.”

Peter looks up at him, confused. “She doesn’t know you fly around?”

Torch snorts out a laugh. “Hell no, she’d kill me if she knew. I do it anyway though. It’s calming.” He pauses and looks down at Peter, smiling softly. “Plus I get to see you now.” He’s looking at Peter in a way that makes him feel exposed, even hidden behind the mask. Peter feels himself blush again.

“Right, yeah,” Peter says, just to say something, and stands up, pointedly not looking at Torch. “I should go too.”

Torch backs up and points behind his shoulder. “I’m going that way. See you later?” he asks hopefully.

Peter tries to smile but realizes he doesn’t need to since Torch can’t see his face. “Yeah, yeah of course.” He wasn’t going to let this awkward feeling get in the way of making a new friend.

Torch grins. “Cool.” 

“Yup,” Peter says, rocking on his heels. 

“Right, okay, bye!” Torch says again and shoots off into the sky, waving one last time before he’s too far away.

Peter slumps onto the rooftop and groans, burying his face in his hands as he tries to will the weird feeling in his chest to disappear. 

_What is wrong with me?_

__________

Peter doesn’t know how they keep running into each other, just that they do. They seem to gravitate towards each other and Peter isn’t one to wax poetic, but Torch would definitely be the center of his solar system. He’d be the bright, glowing sun that everything moves around. Like the sun’s gravity acting on the planets, Peter thinks it’s some subconscious part of his brain that has him seeking out Torch’s familiar flames on every rooftop he passes. Somehow they always end up sitting side by side on the top of the same abandoned building, watching the sun sink below the horizon as Peter tries to ignore the way he blushes every time Torch so much as glances at him. He finally finds a superhero who’s his age and he’s already messing it up. He just wants to get to know Torch better because he’s someone who understands Peter’s situation so well, but his body is clearly not getting the memo. He’s pretty sure his face turns as red as his mask whenever Torch smiles. He just can’t figure out _why,_ so he pushes it down into a corner of his mind, sweeping it under a rug. 

When Aunt May had noticed Peter becoming more enthusiastic to go out on patrol, she had become curious and asked him about it. He had told her about the Human Torch and, unsurprisingly, she had freaked, telling him about ‘stranger danger’ and Peter being ‘too trusting.’ Peter had tried to calm her down, insisting that the Human Torch isn’t dangerous, that he’s a teenager too. That had made her even more livid, ranting about how it was unimaginable that teenagers are out there fighting crime. Peter knew it was weird, but in that moment he’d felt a swarm of love for his aunt as she had rambled on. Most kids would hate getting a lecture from their guardian, but Aunt May was the only family he had left and he knew she only wanted him to be safe. After awhile, his aunt had calmed down and Peter had found her later on watching some clips of Torch on YouTube. Peter had plopped himself down on the couch and watched them with her, head on her shoulder as he’d ignored the swooping feeling in his stomach whenever Torch winked at the camera. 

Peter glances at the boy now, eyes closed and one corner of his mouth quirked up slightly. The evening light casts a soft glow on his face and he seems to burn even brighter than before. Yeah, he’d definitely be the sun. What would that make Peter? The earth? The moon? 

_No_ , Peter thinks. _I would be Mercury. I’d be the planet closest to him._

He swallows and looks away.

“Does it hurt?” Peter asks, looking down at the city.

He sees Torch look at him in his peripheral vision. “Does what hurt?” he says. 

“That you’re literally on fire,” answers Peter, turning to him and gesturing to the flames blurring his face.

He laughs and shakes his head. “I don’t even feel it.”

Peter hums in acknowledgement. There’s a lull in the conversation and Peter asks, “Do you think we’re the only teenagers with powers?” because he’s an idiot and doesn’t know how to let a conversation drop.

_Seriously, what is up with me?_

“We’re not,” Torch casually says. “My two friends also have powers. Well, kind of.”

“What!?” Peter yelps. He sits up and stares at the other boy in shock. 

Torch grins and shrugs like it’s the most normal thing in the world that your friends are superhuman too. “One of them is an amazing shot, like she can hit anything. One time in class we dared her to throw a pen into the teacher’s coffee cup and she did. She was in the very back of the classroom so the teacher assumed it was a student up front and she never got caught,” he laughs as he tells the story. He’s smiling wide as he talks about her and Peter feels something twist in his gut. He shoves it down. “And my other friend has powers an awful lot like yours,” he continues. “He can walk up walls, shoot webs, and he has a few other tricks up his sleeve.” Torch looks him up and down and Peter feels his palms start to sweat. “You guys have similar suits too.”

“Huh,” Peter says, lying back down and gazing up at the sky just so he doesn’t have to feel like he’s burning under Torch’s gaze. “I guess it’s not really that unbelievable, considering everything I’ve been through.” Suddenly jealous, Peter looks over at Torch and asks, “Wait, you don’t call him Spidey too, do you?” 

Torch smirks. “No, because unlike you, I actually know his real name.”

“Oh, right,” Peter responds, deflating a little. He knows Torch is joking but it still stings.

He can’t tell Torch his real name, he _knows_ that. But it’s an infuriating reminder that they’ll never be actual friends, the ones that go over to each other’s houses and laugh while eating all the food in the kitchen. 

Torch looks like he’s about to say something when Karen’s voice speaks up in his ear.

_Peter, your aunt texted. She wants to remind you that it is a school night and that you need to return home soon._

“Oh okay, thanks Karen,” Peter says, straightening up and cracking his back.

_You are very welcome Peter. I will inform her that you received her message._

Peter is about to thank the AI again when Torch speaks up. 

“Uh, my name isn’t Karen,” he says, confused. 

“Oh my god,” Peter laughs, realizing that only he could hear Karen. “Sorry, sorry I was talking Karen. The AI in my suit. She just told me my aunt wants me to head home now.”

Torch’s mouth falls open. “Hold up, you have an AI _in your suit_?” he squawks. “Spidey, that’s so cool!” 

Peter flushes and tries to explain that he really isn’t as cool as Torch thinks he is. “I personally didn’t add in her into it. It was Mr. Stark who-” he stops.

For a second he’s no longer on a rooftop, but in Mr. Stark’s lab, gushing over the AI. Peter remembers how excited he was when Mr. Stark had explained the AI to him after Peter had told him he discovered her. He’d told Peter about all the things he could change about her operating system if he wanted to, all the code words she knew that would help him in battle. He remembers hugging Mr. Stark, thanking him for all he’d done.

He feels his body run cold as he remembers the last moment he was with the man, one of the few people who has seen what Peter’s truly capable of. He feels himself shrink, like the world’s expanding while he’s getting smaller. He can see Torch and the skyline in front of them, but it seems so far away. 

_We won, Mr. Stark, we won, we won, we won, Tony, we-_

Peter’s feels something on his arm, warm and grounding. 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Torch says quietly, like Peter’s somewhere underwater. He realizes Torch is trying to pull him out of it, out of whatever this feeling is, and Peter is so grateful that he found this boy, this brilliant, shining boy. Peter leans into his warmth as he keeps talking. “I know I never met him, but he seemed like an amazing person. You can still grieve him, you know? It’s… It’s hard when you lose someone. You won’t wake up one day and suddenly you’re okay again. These things take time.” He moves his hand so it’s gripping Peter’s and he squeezes it lightly. Peter squeezes it back as he feels himself float back down to his body.

He lets out a quiet sob and uses his free hand to rub his eyes, before he remembers he’s wearing a mask. He lifts it up, far enough to where his nose is free and takes large gulps of air. He hears Torch make a strangled noise and Peter realizes he’s probably uncomfortable with Peter’s display. 

“I’m sorry,” he chokes out. “I’m sorry, I didn’t-” 

“Hey, no, no, no,” Torch whispers, moving closer, his hand still in Peter’s. “Don’t apologize, Spidey.”

They’re hundreds of feet in the air, overlooking a city full of people, but Peter feels like they’re in their own world. He thinks to himself that maybe he wouldn’t even need a sun in his world, he’d just need Torch. The thought makes him smile and he suddenly wonders what Mr. Stark would’ve thought of the Human Torch.

Maybe in another life they would have met. Peter would’ve liked to have seen that.

Peter takes a few more deeps breaths and pulls the mask back down so it’s covering his nose and mouth again as Torch says to him, “Never apologize for something you can’t help but feel, okay?” 

Peter nods. He shifts against Torch and clears his throat. “He was like a father to me and I’ve lost a lot of family and this… this just, it felt like I had _just_ healed and now the wound is fresh again,” he croaks out, resting his head on Torch’s shoulder, making sure not to lean too close to his flames. “He would’ve liked you.” 

_I think they all would have._

_My father, my mother, Uncle Ben, Mr. Stark, all of them._

The thought makes Peter feel tired, so tired, and Torch’s presence is a steady light in the dark that’s swirling around him. 

Torch speaks softly near Peter’s ear. “Yeah?” he asks, and Peter can hear a smile in his voice. 

“Yeah,” Peter says. “Definitely.” 

They stay like that for a moment before Torch moves against Peter’s side. “Okay, so I don’t want to ruin the moment, but didn’t you have to head home?” he asks.

“Mmm,” Peter mumbles, eyelids drooping. “This is nice though. Just… Just give me a minute.”

Torch leans back into his side and Peter’s pretty sure he’s raising his body temperature to keep Peter warm. “Sure Spidey, whatever you want.”

They sit there for awhile, content in the silence and when Peter eventually returns home a little late, quiet and reserved, Aunt May doesn’t ask, just wraps him up in a tight hug. He buries his head into his aunt’s shoulder and sighs deeply.

 _Maybe we were the lucky ones_.

__________

Peter’s staring out the classroom window when MJ throws a paper ball at his head. He catches it because of the Peter Tingle and MJ scowls at him. 

He really needs to come up with a new name for his sixth sense. It’s a little embarrassing. 

“That’s cheating,” MJ says. 

Peter rolls his eyes and looks away. She throws another paper ball and Peter catches it without looking, tossing it right back at her. He would be worried about someone seeing him, but they’re in the back of the class while everyone talks, waiting for their teacher to arrive.

“Okay, what’s up with you?” she asks, suddenly serious, causing Peter to turn and face her. “You’ve been zoning out. More than usual,” she adds. 

He doesn’t know what to say to that. Has he been zoning out more than usual? He’s mostly been thinking about going on patrol after school and seeing Torch again. He’s just thinking about his plans for later, why is that a bad thing?

“I was just thinking about the Human Torch,” Peter answers her, shrugging.

MJ gives him a weird look and opens her mouth as Ned barges into the classroom. He makes his way over to their desks and flops down in an empty one.

“Why are you so late?” Peter asks, resting his chin in his hand. 

Ned groans and sinks down in his seat. “My mom’s car wouldn’t start so then I was like ‘don’t worry I can just take the bus’ but then I remembered the bus had already _left_ so my mom just called me a taxi because you know how she gets if I miss a day of school,” Ned takes a deep breath. “So here I am,” he finishes. 

“Here you are,” Peter laughs. “Hey, at least you made it on time.” 

“True,” he agrees. “Anyway, what were you guys talking about before I got here?” Ned asks as he puts his backpack in his lap and starts digging around in it. 

“MJ was throwing paper balls at me,” he says, glaring at her.

MJ just smirks. “Not my fault you were zoning out while thinking about your _boyfriend_ ,” she sings, and Peter feels his face burn.

“My _what_!?” he hisses and looks around the classroom.

Ned pouts and crosses his arms over his backpack. “Dude you got a boyfriend and didn’t tell me? I thought best friends told each other everything!”

Peter hisses again. “Ned, I _do not_ have a boyfriend!” 

“Then why did MJ say you did?”

“Because she’s a shit stirrer,” Peter grinds out and shoots another glare at MJ.

“Not my fault you keep staring out the window with heart eyes while thinking about the Human Torch,” she chimes in.

Peter feels himself blush even more. “He’s my friend! I don’t like him like that!”

“Are you sure about that? You do always get kinda red whenever we mention him,” Ned, the traitor, points out. 

“I don’t have a crush on him!” Peter shrieks and then remembers they’re in class. He looks around again, but luckily only a few people are giving him odd looks. 

“Peter…” MJ says gently. “It sounds like a crush.”

“I just think he’s really cool and funny and he’s really nice and he does this awesome thing with his powers where he’s able to heat up food and stuff, and he gets this cute smile on his face when I tell him how awesome it is and, yeah, I think his smile is nice but that doesn’t mean… I…” He trails off. He recalls how comfortable he is whenever he’s in Torch’s presence, how he feels carefree and warm when he’s with the other boy. But that doesn’t mean anything though, they’re just good friends. So what if Peter wouldn’t be opposed to hugging the other boy, or holding his hand, or kissing- 

Peter’s mouth falls open. “Oh my god,” he says. “I have a crush on the Human Torch.”

MJ leans over and pats his arm. “Good job on figuring it out, you’re officially the last person to know,” she jokes, not unkindly. 

Peter’s head is whirling as he thinks about kissing Torch. He doesn’t even really know what the boy looks like since the flames distort his features, but he always knows the right thing to say to make Peter feel better and it always makes Peter happy to see the other boy. If he really does have a crush on Torch is it supposed to feel different than liking a girl? When he liked Liz, he would get nervous and sweaty and he’d blush a lot… Like how he acts around Torch. It’s a similar feeling, Peter realizes. Similar but also different, in a good way. Is that what it’s like to have a crush on someone of the same gender? 

“But, but I liked Liz! I like girls!” Peter exclaims. 

“You know bisexuality is a thing right? Or pansexuality, or just whatever suits you best,” MJ states, leaning back in her seat. “Sexuality isn’t necessarily a set thing, you can like whoever.”

Ned nods. “You can like whoever you want, dude. We’ll support you no matter what.” He smiles. “Also, I really wanna meet the Human Torch so I kinda hope you do like him.” 

“Huh…” Peter ignores him and thinks, leaning his chin on his hand again. “Am I bisexual?” he whispers to himself. He looks at his friends and lowers his voice. “Can I be trans _and_ bi?” 

MJ snorts. “I know I said this before, but the irony of you being an idiot and a genius is truly astounding.”

Peter glares at her and she rolls her eyes.

Gently, she nudges him with her elbow. “Maybe you’ll get a gold star for being both the B and the T in LGBT. There’s gotta be some prize there.” 

Peter laughs. “Who would I get a prize from?” 

“I don’t know, Jesus?” she says, shrugging. “Oh, maybe it’ll also come with a new gay card in the mail.” 

They all laugh and Peter shakes his head. “I hate both of you,” he says, pointing at his friends and smiling. 

“Yeah, yeah, okay,” Ned cuts in. “Can we now please focus on what’s important here? You still haven’t introduced me to _the_ Human Torch!” 

Peter and MJ laugh again while Ned frowns at their outburst. 

“Sure, Ned,” Peter smiles at his best friend. “I’ll introduce you guys some day.” 

Ned grins like Peter’s the best thing in the world and Peter smiles back, wondering what he would do without his friends. Again Peter thinks, _Maybe we were the lucky ones._

Ned opens his mouth to say something but he’s interrupted by the teacher walking in, all the students quieting down and moving back to their assigned seats. 

“Good morning,” Mr. Hutchins says, to which the class responds in tired murmurs. He continues, unfazed. “Before I start the lesson I just want to remind you all that next month is the field trip to the American Museum of Natural History. Remember that this is a combined trip with other junior classes from different schools so please set a good example.” He finishes and turns to the board. “Oh wait,” he says, turning back to the class. “Emily, please don’t bring your hamster again, we don’t want a repeat of last time.” 

This elicits giggles from the students and Peter snorts out a laugh as Emily blushes in her seat. 

“I seriously didn’t know he was in there,” he hears her whisper to her friend. 

Mr. Hutchins seems to have caught her remark too because he rolls his eyes and turns back to write on the whiteboard.

Peter wonders if he’s thinking about finding a job that doesn’t deal with high schoolers. Peter doesn’t blame him, it’d probably pay more too. 

“Psst,” Ned whispers to him and MJ. “You guys are going right?” 

“We literally turned in our permission slips together,” Peter points out. 

“I know but like, I just wanted to be sure.” 

“Yes, Ned, we’re all going.” 

“Cool, cool.” He pauses. “How much do you wanna bet Emily brings her hamster again?” 

MJ’s grin is deadly. “Ten bucks says she brings it.” 

__________

Peter knew eventually that a villain would figure out their meeting place and attack. Spider-Man swinging to the top of a building along with the Human Torch blazing beside him turned more than a few heads. He assumes it also turned a lot of villains’ heads too. 

Peter doesn’t know who this woman is. She’s flying around on some sort of gadget while throwing balls of electricity at them. She has stark white hair, dark red clothing and a permanent grin on her face. She’s giving Peter the creeps and he’s gladly webbing her up. He thinks he and Torch make a pretty good team, up until the villain creates this humongous glowing, green ball that she aims directly at Torch. 

He’s flying in the air, his whole body aflame, and Peter’s above him, hanging onto the side of a building, watching as the woman diverts her attack solely on Torch. Peter feels his blood run cold and everything begins to move in slow motion. Tony Stark dying flashes before his eyes and all he thinks is _No, no, no I can’t lose someone so important again_ , and jumps off the building, diving in front of the other boy. The air sings around him as he hurtles forward. There’s a split second where Torch looks up as Peter’s rushing toward him and he thinks he can see fear under the boy’s flames. Peter’s eyes search Torch’s face, memorizing it all when the electricity hits him square in the chest. He lets out a deafening scream and scrunches his eyes shut. He sees a bright, white light behind his eyelids and his whole body _burns_ . Torch yells something but Peter feels far away, like everything is muffled. Suddenly, he’s falling through the air and opening his eyes, watching as a blur of fire rushes down after him. Peter wants to reach out and touch it, cup it in his hands and hold it near his heart. His eyesight is blurry and it’s hard to think and he’s really fucking tired. He feels his eyelids slide shut again and wonders _Is this what Icarus felt like?_ right before he blacks out. 

He wakes up slowly, only a few seconds later, groaning at the smell of burning flesh. _Aunt May’s gonna kill me_ , is the first thought he has as he attempts to wake up. He blinks his eyes open, trying to see clearly. He looks down blearily and his eyes widen at the sight of the city below him. He shrieks and scrambles to hold onto whatever is carrying him. 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, Spidey, it’s okay,” a voice says and Peter looks up to find the Human Torch smiling down at him. “You’re safe.” 

Peter squints at him and wonders if he’s either in heaven, dreaming or hallucinating. For the hundredth time, Peter thanks the mask for covering his blush. 

“What happened?” he croaks, his throat feeling like he hasn’t had water in years.

Torch looks away as he maneuvers them past rooftops. Peter notes his head is still on fire but now his feet are too, probably allowing him to fly.

“After you stupidly jumped in front of me, you passed out.” Torch swallows and frowns, still not looking at Peter. “I freaked and caught you before you hit the ground, _thank God_ , and then I called my sister and she came with her boyfriend and our friend to take care of the villain.” Torch looks back at him. “I’m taking you to my house to help you get cleaned up.”

Peter smiles at Torch and relaxes into his hold until his words sink in. “Wait, I… Um, you can just set me down. I can fix myself up at home,” he panics.

“I’m not just gonna leave you!” Torch yells. He flounders for a minute before speaking again. “Look, I know you might not trust me but you almost sacrificed yourself for me and I… Spidey, just let me help you. _Please_.” 

His voice breaks and there’s a small trail of steam rising above Torch’s head that Peter realizes is his tears mixing with his flames. Peter doesn’t know how to react to that, so he pretends to ignore the sight like he ignores everything else. 

Torch sniffs and looks away. “Just, just let me do this one thing, okay? You can keep your mask on the whole time.”

Feeling himself nod, Peter leans into Torch’s grasp and closes his eyes.

“Thank you,” he whispers, though he thinks it gets lost in the wind.

They’re silent for a few minutes, Peter just listening to Torch’s heartbeat where his head is resting against his chest.

Torch clears his throat. “Hey, do you think you could close your eyes? I, I mean I won’t know if they are closed, but my sister said I could only bring you here if you didn’t look. She’ll flip if she knows that you have our address.”

“I’ll close them, I promise. You can trust me.” Peter says, placing a hand on Torch’s bicep. 

Torch’s head bursts into a large, bluish flame before returning to normal. Peter frowns at him as Torch squeaks out, “Sorry! It’s, um, sorry!” 

Peter laughs and leans back into Torch, closing his eyes. He feels himself calm down, content in the other boy’s warm embrace. He can feel the wind whipping past him and he sighs. He knows he probably shouldn’t, but he trusts Torch and that’s slightly terrifying. He knows what happens when he gets close to people; he loses them again and again and again. _But isn’t it worth it_ , he thinks, _to at least be with them for the time that they’re here?_

He breathes in deeply, nose digging into Torch’s chest. 

“I trust you,” he says over the wind.

He feels Torch shift as he looks down at Peter.

“You do?” he asks, sounding surprised.

“Yeah, yeah I really do,” Peter whispers.

Torch gives him a light squeeze. “Thank you. I, I trust you too… If that wasn’t already obvious.” He clears his throat and Peter feels himself being set down gently. “Too bad my sister doesn’t,” he mumbles. “Okay, we’re here but don’t open your eyes yet. I’m gonna unlock the door real fast.”

Peter hears Torch shuffle forward and then a door open. He comes back and places his hands on Peter’s shoulders and guides him inside. He walks him down what Peter guesses is a hallway before he hears another door open and then close. 

“You can open your eyes now,” he says.

Peter does as he’s told and gasps. The room is average, but compared to Peter’s room it’s huge. He has a large bed and movie posters decorating the space, and it’s all lit up by the sun shining through tall glass windows covering one whole wall. It overlooks the city and Peter realizes he must live in a penthouse. 

“ _Dude_ ,” he breathes. “This is your room?”

Torch laughs and rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah.” He nudges a discarded shirt on the ground with his foot. “Sorry it’s messy.”

“Messy?” Peter grins, looking around the room. There are a few things out of place but it’s clear they’re supposed to be there. It looks loved and lived in, like a home should. “I love it,” he says.

Torch looks funny standing there in the middle of his room, his body normal and head on fire. 

“Will that,” Peter says, gesturing to his head, “make the smoke alarm go off?”

Shaking his head, Torch moves toward a connected bathroom. “My sister’s boyfriend took the batteries out of them because he thought I might make them go off,” he calls from the bathroom.

He comes out with a first aid kit and points to the bed. “You can sit there and I’ll bandage you up.”

Peter feels himself blush and looks at the bed. “Um,” he says, voice cracking. He looks anywhere but at Torch. “Um, so I don’t really feel comfortable, like, uh, stripping in front of you… So can I just take the first aid kit into the bathroom and do it myself?”

“Yes! Yes, sorry, of course, right,” Torch babbles, shoving the kit into Peter’s hands and sitting down on the bed. “I’ll just, uh, be here if you need anything.”

“Cool,” Peter says and goes into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He places a hand over his heart to calm his heartbeat, willing his blush to go away. He takes a few deep breaths and peels off his suit, groaning at the bruises and scrapes scattered over his body. His skin looks a little bit red, most likely from being electrocuted, but he knows he’ll be fine thanks to his powers allowing him to heal quickly. In all, nothing looks too bad and he cleans a few cuts before pulling his suit back on.

When he walks back into the bedroom, Torch looks up from his phone and smiles. “You okay?” he asks.

Peter nods and looks around the room, not sure what to say. “Just a few cuts and bruises.”

“That’s good. Oh, hey,” Torch says from the bed. Peter looks over at him confused as he continues talking. “Looks like it cut through your suit.” He points at Peter, causing him to look down at his body. “But not your undershirt. That was lucky.”

Peter feels around his suit and his fingers catch on a hole near the side of his chest. He can feel the material through the hole. “Oh, that’s not my undershirt, that’s my binder,” he blurts out and then freezes. He feels his heart pounding in his chest as he waits for Torch to respond.

 _What the hell was that you moron!?_ he screams at himself in his head. 

“Wait what do you mean that’s your- _Oh_!” he exclaims.

Peter watches his reaction, heart beating faster and faster. Torch is frowning at him and Peter begins to panic, thinking that Torch might not be as accepting as he thought. 

“Dude, what the _fuck_?” He sounds panicked and it makes Peter pause.

“I, um… what?”

“Why are you wearing a binder while _fighting_?” He yells, standing up and pacing the room while pulling at his hair, which looks like it would hurt with the whole fire thing going on if Peter didn’t know any better. “Do you want to hurt yourself? Are you insane? Oh my god and now I’m yelling at you after you saved my life earlier. I’m sorry, I’m not mad at you! Okay well actually I am mad at you because.” Torch makes a strangled noise before continuing. “That’s not _safe_ , dude.”

“Why do you care so much?” Peter asks, embarrassed. He has his arms crossed over his chest and he won’t meet Johnny’s eyes. 

“Uh, because I care about you, dumbass!” Torch snorts, throwing his hands up in the air. 

“You- What?”

“You’re my friend, Spidey,” Torch says as he walks over to Peter. “I don’t want to see you hurt.”

“Oh,” Peter mumbles because he doesn’t know what to say to that. 

“Can I hug you?” Torch asks and then looks down and starts fumbling with his hands. “I mean, obviously only if you want, you don’t have to.” 

Peter blushes and nods. “You can, yeah.”

Torch smiles and moves closer, wrapping his arms around Peter. He tenses for a moment before relaxing into the hug. 

“This would be nice if there wasn’t a chance I could burn you,” Torch jokes. 

Peter laughs and steps back, already missing the other boy’s warmth. “Maybe one day.” 

Torch’s mouth quirks up. “Yeah, yeah maybe one day.” His smile drops and he looks at the floor. “I didn’t, um, I didn’t use the wrong pronouns did I?”

Peter’s surprised at Torch’s question and shakes his head, smiling a little. “No, Torch, you didn’t.” 

“Cool, cool. So he and him?” 

Peter nods. “Yup.”

“Nice.” Torch awkwardly stands there before moving back to the bed and flopping down, fiddling with his hands in his lap. “Um, if it makes you feel any better I’m…” he starts then stops. “Okay give me a second, I’ve only told a few people this.” He pauses for a moment, taking a deep breath and exhaling. “I’m, um, gay and I, I know it’s not the same thing but well, yeah you get what I mean. Just- you’re not alone, okay?” He smiles down at his hands. “You can trust me.”

Peter feels his chest warm from seeing Torch being so open with him. “Thank you for, for trusting me enough to tell me that,” he says. “And I told you, I already do trust you.” 

Torch looks up and smiles lopsidedly and Peter feels his heart stutter. He could tell Torch that he thinks he might not be straight too, but so much has happened today and he’s tired. He’ll tell him one day, but right now it’s getting late and he could really go for Aunt May’s grilled cheese. 

“I know. Thank you,” Torch says and watches Peter, as if he’s expecting him to say something else. 

“Well, I’m gonna head home now, if that’s okay.” 

Torch nods and Peter thinks he looks a little upset. Something in his expression falls, but it’s so quick Peter’s not sure he actually saw anything. 

“You okay?” he asks, moving toward the bed to rest a hand on Torch’s shoulder. 

“Yeah,” he says. Peter watches his throat as he swallows and looks away. Peter drops his hand from his shoulder. 

Torch stands up and grins at Peter, the emotions he saw before gone like they were never there to begin with. “I’ll take you back,” he says. “Just close your eyes and I’ll lead you outside and carry you wherever you want me to drop you off.”

Peter steps back and crosses his arms. “I thought you trusted me.”

“I do! It’s just my sister…” Torch rubs the back of his neck. “Look it’s like if one of us gets caught by a villain and they’re able to get information out of us I’d rather not know where you live and vice versa. It’s just to keep us all safe.” 

Peter has to agree that it makes sense, even if he’s a little hurt. 

“Let me just fly you to a building and drop you off,” Torch continues. “And then you can make your way home from there, okay?” 

Peter nods. “Okay.” 

Torch stands up and moves toward the bedroom door. “Do you want anything? Water, food?”

Peter shakes his head. 

“I have Gushers,” he grins, wiggling his eyebrows. They dance along with the fire and Peter feels himself grinning too.

“Sure, why not?”

After Peter secures the Gushers into his suit, he tells Karen to inform Aunt May he’s on his way home. Then he closes his eyes as Torch lifts him up, bridal style, his fire warming the top of Peter’s head.

“Comfy?” Torch asks as they lift off into the sky.

After a few seconds, Torch tells him he can open his eyes and he gasps at the sight.

The sky has turned a light purple, a few stars peeking out through the city’s haze. The lights of houses and buildings are slowly coming on, like a little galaxy being born right below their feet. There are some pink clouds slowly drifting overhead and Peter wishes he could pause time, just for a minute, content in Torch’s arms, watching the day fade into the night. 

Peter looks up at the boy and notices he’s frowning. Peter tries to catch his eye, but he doesn’t seem to notice. 

When they reach the rooftop of a building, Torch sets him down gently. Peter takes in the scene around him and notices that he isn’t too far from home. 

Peter turns to Torch to thank him, but he isn’t looking at Peter.

“Is something wrong?” Peter asks slowly. 

Torch sighs shakily and doesn’t meet Peter’s gaze. The darkening sky makes him so bright that Peter feels like he’s looking at the North Star brought to life. 

He seems to dim when he says, “I think we shouldn’t meet up again.”

Peter can almost feel the burn marks from Torch’s fingertips on his lungs, his ribs, his heart. He can feel where Torch is pulling apart his rib cage and yanking out his heart, putting it back in the wrong way, scorched. He furrows his eyebrows as a burst of anger bubbles to the surface. “What? Why?”

“We got careless,” Torch explains, looking at Peter in a way that makes his heart twist. “Villains noticed where we were meeting and they came for us. It’s too dangerous.” 

“What? I don’t want to stop hanging out with you,” says Peter. “We’ll be fine.”

Torch shakes his head. He walks closer to Peter and takes a hold of his wrist. “It’s safer this way.” 

Peter rips his arm out of Torch’s grasp. He feels too hot, like he’s going to explode. “Are you sick of me or something? Am I not who you thought I’d be? If you want to get rid of me, you can just say it.”

Torch’s face contorts. “Spidey, why would you think that?” 

“Because that’s what it fucking seems like!” 

The other boy flinches, but doesn’t say anything. 

“Where is this coming from?” Peter asks desperately. He knows it’s not just the fear of more villain attacks, he knows it’s more than that, so why can’t Torch just _tell him_? “You aren’t telling me something. I know you’re not.”

Torch won’t meet his eyes and Peter knows he must be right. 

Peter scoffs and shakes his head. “I get it, I’ll go.” He turns around, hoping Torch doesn’t notice the waver in his voice. 

“Wait…” Torch says, stopping him. 

Peter doesn’t turn around. “What?” he snaps.

“I just- can you, um, can promise me you won’t wear a binder next time you’re in your suit? Please? I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Peter spins around and points a finger at him, close enough so it’s in his face but not close enough that he’ll get burned. “ _You_ don’t get to tell me that. If you didn’t want me to get hurt, then you wouldn’t have opened your mouth in the first place, jackass.” He feels his hands tingling, his blood soaring, and he wants to _scream_ so badly.

“I’m trying to keep you safe!” Torch yells.

Peter laughs, a bitter, ugly thing. “I’m a _superhero_ , Torch, I’m never safe! God, just,” Peter kicks a forgotten screw and listens to it bounce across the roof in the silence. “Fine,” he says, oddly calm as the anger rises up in him. “You want me to leave? I’ll do it.” He pauses and glares at the other boy. “I hope I never see you again,” he spits out and instantly regrets it when Torch’s face falls. 

“You don’t mean that,” the other boy whispers and it sounds like Peter just broke his heart.

 _Good_ , Peter thinks. _Because you just broke mine._

Peter looks away and shoots out a web, which attaches to the building across from him. “Goodbye, Torch.”

He swings home, ignoring Torch’s yells as they fall away with the wind.

__________

Emily, thankfully, doesn’t bring her hamster on their field trip this time and Ned becomes ten dollars richer. 

He’s smirking at MJ as the bus pulls out of the parking lot, and she’s pointedly not looking in his direction. She has her arms crossed and she’s glaring out the window.

Peter would have poked fun at her if he still didn’t feel like actual shit. He hasn’t seen the Human Torch in a month, only catching a few glimpses of him on TV or YouTube before Peter would shut it off, heart twisting at the sight of the glowing boy.

After their last interaction, Peter had gone home and cried. He had told Aunt May what had happened and she had hugged him tight. 

“Maybe he’s right,” she had said. “I hate to see you hurt and if he feels the same way then that must mean he cares an awful lot about you.”

Peter hadn’t known how to respond to that, so he’d just shrugged and buried himself under his blankets as Aunt May got the hint and closed his bedroom door behind her. 

He’d woken the next morning groggy with dried tear stains on his cheeks. He’d laid in bed for awhile, staring up at the ceiling, wishing the earth would swallow him up. New York didn’t _really_ need Spider-Man, right? They’d be okay if he just vanished because a boy broke his heart. They’d understand that, wouldn’t they? After a few minutes of contemplating it, he had decided that New York probably does need him, or at least he _hopes_ it does. Then he’d glanced over at his suit on the floor and had become angry as he’d glared at the forgotten Gushers packet bunched up amongst his suit. He’d growled and jumped out of bed, picked up the Gushers and hurled them at the wall. He’d then picked them up an hour later and had eaten them while angrily watching Netflix, ignoring Aunt May’s stares whenever she passed by his room.

Peter had still gone out on patrol most evenings, though he didn’t wear his binder with his suit anymore. He wasn’t doing it for Torch, but for himself, as he had come back that night, ribs aching, and not just from Torch’s words. 

Aunt May had been livid when she had found out he was still wearing a binder while fighting, after she had specifically told him the dangers it posed. He promised he wouldn’t do it again and he meant it. 

When he went out on patrol now he mostly did it to ease his mind by swinging through the city, wind whizzing past him as Karen blasted music in his ears. He’d whoop and holler and sing along, anything to try to stop himself from scanning every rooftop he passed. He’d come home lighter than he’d felt when he’d woken up, but eventually the ache would always return again in the morning. 

“Hey, Peter,” Ned says, nudging him. “You okay? You were zoning out.”

Peter had told Ned and MJ what had happened with Torch the next day at school. Ned had looked like he was going to cry as he’d yanked Peter into a tight embrace. MJ had just shaken her head and mumbled something about men being disappointments. As far as condolences go, that was a pretty good coming from her. 

Peter tries to smile but it comes out more like a grimace. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You,” MJ says, popping up over the back of the bus seat, “are a terrible liar.”

“If he doesn’t want to talk about it, we shouldn’t force him,” Ned says, twisting around to talk to her about Peter like he isn’t sitting right next to him.

MJ turns to Peter. “Look, I know you liked… you know who, but it’s been a month now.” She leans over farther and places a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “You need to move on, man.”

Peter slumps down in the sticky bus seat and crosses his arms over his chest. “You think I don’t know that?” he grumbles. “I… I _really_ liked him, guys. Like _a lot_.” Peter’s voice cracks and he feels himself tear up. He looks away from his friends and out the window at the sites blurring past them. It reminds him of when Torch carried him as they flew through the city to his house, everything going out of focus except for the two of them. 

“Maybe you guys just need to talk,” Ned says, cutting through Peter’s spiraling thoughts. 

MJ shakes her head. “Ned, no. I get you’re a fan of the Human Torch but I think Peter made the right decision.” MJ looks away from Ned and back at Peter. “It seems to me that the Human Torch is keeping something from you and if he really was your friend he’d tell you what.”

Peter sighs. He had told his friends about the argument and how it seemed that Torch wasn’t telling him everything. But what would Torch be hiding that’s so bad he doesn’t want to see Peter anymore? Is he actually doing this to protect Peter, like he claims he is? Is there a villain after him or something?

Torch knows they’re both superheroes, they’re never going to be safe. Wasn’t it better to be with each other than apart and still in danger? Or is their friendship just too much for Torch?

Peter doesn’t know the answer and that makes him more upset than anything. 

“Can we just forget about Torch for today? Please?” Peter begs.

Ned and MJ nod simultaneously. 

“Of course,” Ned says. “We’ll forget he ever existed. However, when today’s over I really think you should try to find and talk to him.” 

“I’ll think about it,” Peter lies. Seeing Torch again would hurt too much. He can’t face him, especially if Torch won’t even explain himself. 

“Good,” Ned smiles. “You guys wanna watch some YouTube videos? I found this awesome ghost video and I wanna know what you guys think of it.”

“Ghosts aren’t real,” MJ says. 

Ned scoffs. “Oh, please. Aliens and people with superpowers are fine but you draw the line at ghosts?” 

Peter laughs and settles down beside Ned as he plays the video, thoughts of the Human Torch disappearing. 

They arrive at the history museum thirty minutes later, Ned and MJ in a heated argument about ghosts. 

“So you’re saying we just die? There’s no middle point between it all?” Ned asks, frowning. 

“When our brains stop working that’s it. We’re gone.” 

“So you’re telling me you don’t think we go anywhere?” 

MJ shakes her head.

“Well how do you explain that one time when we were walking past the haunted bathroom near the physics lab and the door closed by itself?” Ned asks, looking smug.

“Ned, there was a storm that day with forty mile per hour winds,” MJ says. “And just because everyone claims it’s haunted doesn’t actually mean it is.” 

Ned’s face falls and he huffs. “Whatever, my point still stands.” 

Peter snorts out a laugh as Mr. Hutchins gets to his feet and claps his hands to get the students’ attention. 

“Okay everyone, please listen up! We will have groups of five that will then be put into a larger group with students from other schools. These schools have the same work packet as you so we felt that this could be an important learning exercise. You will have to work with those you have never met before.” 

This causes a chorus of groans throughout the bus.

MJ leans over the seat again. “You guys just wanna work together?” she asks. 

“Obviously,” Ned smirks. “Teachers never think that far.” 

Mr. Hutchins clears his throat and the students grow quiet again. “Once you get into the larger group you will pair up with an assigned partner.” 

“Fuck,” MJ groans and falls back in her seat.

Ned smacks his forehead against the bus seat in front of him. “I guess they did think that far.” 

“You will both have the same number on your work packet,” the teacher continues. “Lunch will be in the outdoor eating area at one and then we’ll head back to the bus since it’s a long drive back to school. Remember to have fun and set a good example!” he ends and clasps his hands together. 

“Please don’t let my partner make me do all the work,” Ned moans as they start shuffling off the bus. “That happened last time.” 

“Oh yeah, and I had that girl who kept making fun of my hair,” Peter frowns as he makes his way to the front. “That was rude.”

“MJ got lucky,” Ned grumbles and glares behind him at the girl. 

MJ shrugs. “Not my fault she flirted with me first,” she says and flips her hair over her shoulder. 

Ned and Peter both roll their eyes and hop off the bus. Mr. Hutchins stands outside and stops them before they move away.

“You three will be in group two,” he says, sounding incredibly bored. He motions for them to move forward and points at the two people behind them. “Both of you can join Peter, Ned, and MJ in group two.” 

The two girls look at Peter and his friends and smile. He smiles back and tries to recall their names. Was the red haired one named Sarah? Savannah? Or was that the other girl? Peter just greets them with a quiet ‘hello’ and they make their way into the museum, stopping in the entryway to look for their respective group. 

“Group two!” a woman with a warm smile calls. “Group two over here!” 

“That’s us,” MJ says and they walk over. “Hey, at least we’re in the same group,” she adds to Peter and Ned.

There’s already a group of students standing in front of the teacher. He glances around and wonders which one of them he has to work with. His eyes catch on a blonde haired boy, his back facing Peter. There’s something about him that seems oddly familiar, but Peter can’t place it. The boy’s talking animatedly with a girl and another boy who laugh at his joke. He turns slightly in Peter’s direction, as if he can sense him watching him.

“Peter? You good?” MJ asks, pulling his eyes away.

Ned’s looking at him too, concern on his face. 

Peter looks back at the boy, who’s turned away again. “Does that guy look familiar to you?” he asks and points quickly to him. “The one with the blonde hair and denim jacket.” 

MJ and Ned look over and then back at Peter. They both shake their heads.

Ned says, “No, I don’t think I know him. Why, do you?” 

“I don’t think so. I don’t know, he probably just reminds me of someone,” Peter says, feeling stupid for bringing it up. 

Ned and MJ seem like they want to ask him something, but the teacher calls out that she’s going to take roll now, saving Peter from more embarrassment. Peter tunes her out, the voices of the teacher and the students a quiet hum until she calls his name. When she’s through with everyone, she begins handing out the work packets.

“For those of you who are not from my class, or even my school, I am Mrs. Emerson and I’ll be the chaperone for this group,” she says, smiling. “If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. Now please go find your partner. They should have the same number that you have at the top of your worksheet.” 

Immediately, students start shouting out numbers in an attempt to find their partner. Peter prefers to quietly make his way over to people and ask what number they have. 

“Number four?” Peter smiles at a girl who’s looking around. 

She turns to him and smiles shyly and shakes her head. “No, sorry. Do you know who has number ten?” 

“Oh yeah! That’s my friend, Ned. He’s over there, in the red hoodie.” 

“Oh, thank you!” the girl grins and walks over to his friend. 

Peter crosses his arms. It seems everyone is paired up except for him. 

He’s looking around at the group, trying to gauge who still isn’t paired up, when someone taps him on the shoulder. He spins around and comes face to face with the blonde haired boy from before. He’s smiling at Peter and he feels his breath catch in his throat.

_How did I think I was ever straight?_

This boy has the whitest teeth Peter’s ever seen and he feels the need to compare his eyes to the deep blue of the ocean. The boy’s wearing a denim jacket and black jeans and Peter thinks, _If Apollo was real he’d look like this dude._ He has a warm smile that Peter notices is wavering slightly as the silence between them grows.

_Oh shit, he asked me a question, didn’t he? Good job, Spider-Man, you useless fucking gay._

“Sorry, sorry,” Peter flounders, mentally smacking himself. “Did you say something?”

“Are you number four?” The boy asks again, smile returning. 

Something about the boy’s voice makes Peter pause and he frowns for a second. 

“Uh, yeah, yeah that’s me,” he responds quickly, smiling and hoping that there’s still a chance at redemption. 

The boy’s smile, if it’s even possible, grows. “Cool, me too. Guess we’re partners.” The boy sticks out his hand. “I’m Johnny.”

Peter feels his palms sweat as he goes in for the handshake and cringes. “I’m Peter,” he says as he pulls away.

The boy, Johnny, seems nice enough. He knows his hands were sweaty, but Johnny doesn’t make him feel like a complete loser by wiping his hand on his pants, so that’s a bonus.

“Okay, it seems everyone has their partner,” the teacher calls out. “Please, follow me.” 

The group of students follow her into the Hall of Biodiversity. Peter glances over at MJ and Ned. They seem to be getting along fine with their partners and Peter feels a pang of jealousy spike through him. It’s not that Johnny isn’t nice, but he’s a little intimidating. The straight teeth and piercing eyes are kind of making Peter a blushing mess. He keeps a good distance between himself and the other boy, but that doesn’t stop him from glancing at Johnny. His eyelashes are long and he’s looking around the room at the displays. Now that Peter’s really looking at him, he notices that the boy isn’t as perfect as he previously thought.

He has light bags under his eyes as if he hasn’t slept for awhile. For some reason this calms Peter, knowing that this perfect boy isn’t as perfect as he first thought.

They enter the room and the teacher tells them to look at the instructions on their worksheets and sets them free. 

Johnny skims over his paper and says, “Okay, so we need to find one animal and write a small paragraph about why it’s important to its ecosystem.” He looks up at Peter with a lopsided smile. “Seems easy enough.”

The smile pulls at something in the back of Peter’s mind but he can’t quite place it.

“Yup, seems simple,” he agrees and they slowly make their way through the room.

The taxidermied animals stare at them as they pass. Their beady eyes following them and Peter suppresses a shiver. They stop in front of a panda display and Peter turns to Johnny, only to find him inches away from Peter’s face.

“Don’t you think it’s a little creepy?” he whispers, unaware of the turmoil Peter’s experiencing as Johnny’s breath fans over Peter’s lips. 

“Y-you mean the animals?” Peter squeaks and feels his face heat up. He takes a step back and his foot gives out under him. Suddenly, he finds himself falling backwards and his back knocks into something and then he’s falling down, gripping a taxidermied panda like a lifeline. He knows that he can easily catch the panda before he and it both fall, but it probably weighs more than him and catching it will stir up a few questions from his peers, the teachers, and probably a few museum goers too. Peter accepts his fate and lets the panda fall with him, both of them crashing to the floor with a deafening bang.

His knows he isn’t badly injured because once again, _superpowers_ , but he lays there for a moment anyway, with his eyes closed tightly, praying that everyone in the room has suddenly vanished. Or praying he’s vanished, there one minute and gone the next. Why couldn’t one of his superpowers have been invisibility? 

Slowly, Peter cracks open one eye to find Johnny looking down at him. 

He blinks as Johnny peers over him, fretfully asking, “You okay, man?” His eyes roam over Peter’s body. He has his arms hovering over him, as if waiting for Peter to tell him what hurts. 

He tries to sit up and Johnny offers him his hand. Peter grabs it and pulls himself into a sitting position. He can see a crowd gathering around them and he cranes his head to the left, where he’s met with the panda staring back. He gulps and looks back up at Johnny. “I don’t think the panda liked being called creepy,” Peter announces quietly, causing a smile to break across Johnny’s face. He begins to laugh, not in a mean way, but in a kind way, like Peter’s an old friend who just did something silly, which, well, he kind of did. His laugh is nice and infectious. Peter can’t help but laugh along with him. 

Then he feels the world tilt under him and his smile vanishes. 

Johnny’s laugh.

Peter swears he’s heard it before.

He _recognizes_ his laugh even though Peter’s never met him before, unless… 

Something in Peter’s mind clicks and he thinks, _of course._

Of course Peter recognizes his laugh. 

_Of fucking course._

He’s spent nights thinking about that laugh. Hell, that laugh had made him realize he wasn’t _straight_. 

His eyes widen as they wander Johnny’s face. The eyes that are crinkling in the corners from laughing so hard, the sweet smile, the nose that’s upturned ever so slightly and Peter’s world comes to an abrupt stop.

 _Oh_ , he thinks slowly, like his mind is encased in honey. _He looks different without the fire._

The world snaps back into focus when he realizes he’s partners with _Torch_. 

He still has a hold of Torch’s - _Johnny’s_ \- hand and his grip tightens, causing the boy to flinch.

_Johnny, Johnny, Johnny._

Peter wants to drink the name and spit it out. He’s happy and angry and _confused_. He has the Human Torch right in front of him and he doesn’t know what to do.

Johnny’s frowning down at Peter. “You okay?” he asks, concerned. He tries to move his hand away but Peter won’t loosen his grip. 

“Johnny!” Mrs. Emerson yells, interrupting them as she crouches next to Peter. “What happened? I heard a crash.” She looks between Peter and the panda, her eyebrows rising up to her hairline.

“I’m sorry!” Peter blurts out. He cannot deal with both this and Johnny right now. “I accidentally backed up into it! I swear!” He doesn’t want Johnny to be blamed, even if he is angry at him for the things he said. 

“It’s alright. What’s your name, kid?” she asks gently.

“Peter Parker.”

“Alright. Are you hurt at all, Peter?”

He shakes his head.

“And what school are you with?”

“Midtown.”

“Okay,” she says and looks up as two museum workers make their way over. One of them is scowling at Peter and he just wants to shrivel up and die. 

“I’ll talk to these guys and explain what happened. I’ll talk to your teacher too.”

Peter looks up at her, stricken, and she puts a hand on his shoulder.

“You’re not in trouble, I can see this was just an accident.” She looks him over. “Oh! You have a cut,” she says, pointing at his elbow. 

_I heal fast_ , he almost says, before remembering that would be a very weird thing to say. “Oh,” he says instead. “I didn’t notice.” 

Which, technically, isn’t a lie. 

There’s a stain where his blood has dripped onto the ground, but it’s small compared to other cuts he’s had.

“It doesn’t look too bad,” the teacher states. “You got lucky, that thing probably weighs a ton.” The teacher glances over at the panda and back at Peter, confusion growing on her face. She shakes her head and sighs. 

“Johnny,” she says, turning around to face him. “Could you please go with Peter to the bathroom so he can clean the cut.”

He nods, his hand still in Peter’s.

One of the workers, the one who wasn’t scowling, crouches beside Peter. “You okay, kid?” she asks.

He nods and Johnny helps him stand up. 

“I’m taking him to the bathroom to clean his cut,” he tells her.

The worker looks between them and the panda and nods. Mrs. Emerson turns to the employee and starts explaining what happened as he and Johnny make their way out of the room. 

Knowing that Johnny is actually the Human Torch makes Peter feel unsure. Does Johnny know he’s Spider-Man? Should he even bother telling him? If Johnny finds out will he even care? Or will he just let Peter go like he let Spider-Man go?

“You can walk, right?” Johnny asks.

Peter nods and lets go of Johnny’s hand. From the corner of his eye he can see Johnny move as if he wants to grab Peter’s hand again, but thinks better of it and puts his hands in the pockets of his jean jacket. 

Peter clears his throat. “It’s only a cut,” he says casually. He’s had much worse. Hell, he _died._ This is nothing.

Johnny looks down at his shoes. “I really thought you were about to be crushed under that thing,” he confesses, rubbing the back of his neck. “I hope you don’t get in trouble.”

“To be fair,” Peter points out, “it should’ve been bolted to the floor.”

Johnny snorts out a small laugh and bumps his shoulder with Peter’s.

When they enter the bathroom Peter grabs a few paper towels and rinses them under the tap. He angles his arm and starts to wash the cut when Johnny speaks up.

“Do you, um… Do you need any help?” he asks from where he’s standing behind Peter.

Peter turns around to look at him and nods. “Yeah, okay, thanks,” he says, handing Johnny the damp paper towels.

Johnny moves so he’s behind him and gently takes Peter’s elbow to clean it. Peter watches him through the mirror. He’s so gentle and Peter wants to scream at him. He has no right to help him after he broke his heart, but, of course, Johnny doesn’t know that. 

Unable to hold it in any longer, Peter whispers, “Did I do something wrong?”

It’s ever so quiet in the silence of the bathroom and Peter can hear his heart beating.

Johnny looks up and notices Peter watching him in the mirror. He frowns and stands up from the crouch his was in to tend to the cut. “No, of course not, you didn’t mean to knock over the-”

“Torch,” Peter interrupts and Johnny’s reflection stills. “Did I do something wrong?” he repeats, eyes glued to the other boy’s. “Is that why you didn’t want to see me again?”

The silence in the bathroom grows until it’s almost deafening. Peter can vaguely hear movement from outside as the other museum goers pass by.

Absently, he wonders what they’re thinking about. Wonders which ones vanished for five years and which ones stayed to pick up the broken pieces. 

He watches as Johnny searches his face, flying from his eyes to his nose to his lips and over again. His eyes widen slightly and he takes a step back, his breath no longer blowing at the hair curling over Peter’s neck.

“ _Spidey_?” he whispers, like if he says it too loud Peter will vanish.

 _What a funny thought,_ he thinks. _Like I’d leave again when you’re so close._

Peter nods, a slight tilt of his head, and Johnny slowly backs up against the wall, paper towels falling from his hands, forgotten. He slides down until he’s sat on the floor, back to the bathroom door. He drops his forehead to his knees and closes his eyes. “How did you know it was me?” he asks quietly.

Peter clears his throat. He leans his back against the sink, crosses his arms and shrugs. “Your laugh,” he admits. 

Some kind of odd laugh bubbles out of Johnny’s throat. He lifts his head slightly to shake it, like he doesn’t believe Peter. “My laugh?” Johnny seems to ask himself in a dazed tone. He makes a strangled noise and puts his face in his hands. “I think I knew it was you,” he says.

“What?” Peter asks, shocked. “How?”

He’s unmoving as his eyes roam over Johnny on the other side of the bathroom. He can’t see Johnny’s expression, but his ears have a pink tint to them and Peter feels his own face begin to blush. 

“I recognized you from your lips,” Johnny blurts out, though it’s muffled by his hands. “From when you lifted up your mask that one time,” he explains. “I… I thought it was you, but I also thought it was just because I was hoping it was you.” 

“You were hoping it was me?” Peter repeats quietly.

Johnny doesn’t respond and Peter looks away, face red.

He pushes his feelings down and mumbles, “It was my choice too, you know, not just yours.” He hears Johnny shift and glance over at him. He’s looking at Peter from under his eyelashes and his knees are still pulled up to his chest, arms wrapped around his legs. “You made it seem like it was a mutual agreement and it wasn’t,” Peter continues. “I didn’t want to stop hanging out with you, but you didn’t give me a choice.”

Johnny’s expression darkens and he scoffs. “I explicitly remember you saying you hoped you’d never see me again.”

“I was angry, Johnny!” Peter yells, throwing his hands up. “God, I was so… I was heartbroken.” He sighs and crosses his arms over his chest again. “I tend to ignore things a lot when I don’t want to confront them and I really wanted to pretend you just didn’t exist anymore… But I can’t do that. Not this time.” When Johnny doesn’t say anything Peter asks, “Why did you really not want to see me again?” 

He’s silent for awhile and Peter thinks that’s it; Johnny won’t tell him and he’ll have to live without knowing why his friend was willing to let him go. 

“Peter, I…” Johnny starts, then stops. Peter watches him turn away and wipe his eyes, before dropping his head back onto his knees. “I watched you almost die. For me,” he whispers and his voice is loud in the silent bathroom. “You almost died _for me._ And there was nothing I could’ve done to stop it. I don’t want that to happen again. I don’t want you to die because of me.”

Oh. 

The world suddenly tilts on its axis and all Peter thinks is, _Oh_. 

It makes sense now. 

Johnny never wanted to stop seeing Peter, he just didn’t want to keep seeing him risk his life. 

And that - well that was something Peter could understand. 

“ _Johnny_ ,” he chokes out, like his name has been lodged in his chest for days. He moves away from the sink and crouches down beside Johnny. He puts a hand on Johnny’s elbow, where it rests on his knee. “I chose to do that. It wasn’t your fault.”

Johnny shrugs him off and curls in on himself. “It sure as hell fucking seemed like it from my perspective,” he growls.

Peter sits back to give Johnny space. He watches the boy for a moment before gently asking, “Would you not have done the same thing for me?” 

“Of course I would have,” Johnny says fiercely as he snaps his head up to look at Peter. His eyes are red rimmed and he has tear stains running down his cheeks.

“So why was what I did any different?” Peter asks. 

“It just was, okay?” he snaps.

Peter watches Johnny for a moment. “How? How was it different?” 

Johnny closes his eyes, like he’s afraid he won’t get the words out if he looks at Peter. He breathes deeply through his nose and sighs, all the breath in his body leaving him. “I care about you,” he whispers so quietly that Peter almost misses it. He opens his eyes and stares straight into Peter’s. They’re deep blue like the ocean and Peter forgets how to breathe. Like the words are being ripped out of him, Johnny says, “I care about you so much it _hurts_.”

And Peter gets it. 

They’re sitting on the bathroom floor of a museum, the world bustling around outside, unaware of the two boys showing each other their hearts, when Peter gets it.

He was never alone. Johnny felt the same way.

“Oh,” Peter falters. 

“And, and seeing you fall, your body just limp and unmoving…” Johnny sniffs and continues. “It felt like I was the one dying, like my heart had stopped beating.”

Peter opens and closes his mouth, unsure what to say.

Johnny keeps talking, eyes downcast. “I told my sister about what I did and about what I said. She was cautious at first, but she saw how much you meant- how much you mean to me.” He stumbles there, wiping his nose on the sleeve of his jean jacket before continuing. “And she… she told me that sometimes people care about another person so much that it scares them. It’s such a strong feeling and they don’t know how to deal with it so they just run. They run because it’s all they know how to do. I don’t want to run anymore. Not from you.” Johnny’s eyes flick over to Peter. They’re wet and a single tear slips down his cheek. “I wanted you so much it scared me,” he admits quietly and Peter’s heart clenches. “I’d never felt that way before and then you almost _died_. I watched you fall and there was a split second where I… where I thought ‘I won’t catch him in time.’ It broke me and I just wanted to pretend like I’d never met you so I’d never have to watch you get hurt again.” Johnny runs a hand through his hair and pulls on it. “God, that was so stupid and selfish of me,” he says. Peter’s throat is tight and he can feel tears welling in his eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t… I didn’t think how that would have affected you.”

All the anger he had for Johnny dissipates as he imagines himself as the other boy, watching his friend fall, afraid he won’t save him.

“Well, I never thought about how you watching me get hurt would have affected _you_. To have to watch me-” Peter cuts himself off. “Shit, I’m sorry.” 

“Why are you apologizing?” Johnny asks, wiping his eyes with his jacket sleeve. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I should have tried talking to you rather than getting mad and leaving!” Peter argues. “I’m your friend, I should’ve done _something_. I should have tried to understand.” 

“You could’ve have. That was something I had to work out on my own, and I wouldn’t have told you the truth. Not at the time.” 

Peter takes Johnny’s hand. It’s warm in his grasp and he rubs a thumb over Johnny’s knuckles. “Look we both messed up,” Peter says. “I forgive you, okay? I don’t wanna lose you again.”

Johnny nods. “I don’t want to lose you again either,” he says and Peter follows the movement of his throat when he swallows. “I know I said all those things but… but I was just scared.” He trails off and looks away. “I meant what I said about more villains finding us and wanting you to be safe, but I never intended for my words to hurt you.”

Peter feels a swell of fondness for the boy. He’s laid all his emotions out for Peter to see, let him take them in his hands and feel the weight of his words.

Johnny trusts him and Peter wants nothing more than to show him how deserving he is of love, of the thing he seems so frightened of.

“Before…” Peter starts, then stops. “Before you said, um, you said you wanted me.”

Johnny flinches and pulls his hands out of Peter’s grasp, but doesn’t look at him. “It doesn’t have to mean anything. We can pretend I didn’t say anything and we can just go back to how-”

“‘Wanted’?” Peter interjects his frantic rambling. “As in past tense?”

Johnny’s head snaps up and his eyes, his gorgeous eyes, lock with Peter’s “W-what?” 

His eyes are wide and he looks terrified, like Peter’s going to take his heart out and run with it.

But neither of them are running.

Not anymore.

“You said you wanted me. Do you still want me?” Peter whispers and feels himself lean closer.

Johnny nods slowly, like he’s dazed. “More than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.”

Finally, the tears he was holding back well up and spill over Peter’s cheeks as he laughs, a loud, happy thing.

He moves forward and cups Johnny’s face in his hands, holding him where he can see him and never let him go. He uses his thumbs to wipe Johnny's tears as he searches his face, drinking him in, before he settles on his bright, blue eyes. Peter feels himself relax as he looks into the eyes of the boy he cares so much about that it… that it… What had Johnny said? Oh, yes, that it _hurts_. 

It aches deep in his chest, like a muscle he’s using for the first time. 

“Why are you smiling?” Johnny asks self consciously, and Peter just smiles even wider.

“Because you want me too,” he says, words echoing in the quiet bathroom.

He can see when his words click in Johnny’s head because his mouth falls open before turning into the brightest smile Peter’s ever seen.

Johnny’s white teeth seem to glow and he has a dimple that appears on his right cheek and his ocean eyes crinkle in the corners and his nose scrunches up ever so slightly and all Peter can think about is kissing him.

So, obviously, he asks, “Can I kiss you?” 

Johnny’s body _glows_ , like Peter’s words have ignited something in him. “ _Please_ ,” he says like a prayer, breath ghosting over Peter’s lips.

So Peter leans in and kisses him.

Peter’s never kissed anyone before. He’d wanted to kiss Liz, but then all that stuff happened… So that was out of the question. Looking back though, Peter thinks kissing Johnny is probably a whole lot better than kissing Liz would have ever been.

Not because he’s a boy, but because he’s _Johnny_. 

He’s Torch, the boy who has his back no matter what.

The boy who knows all his flaws and yet somehow, for some strange reason, still cares for Peter all the more.

His lips are soft and warm and Peter grins into the kiss.

Peter pulls away to catch his breath and gauge Johnny’s reaction. He’s still close enough that his breath fans over Peter’s face and he slowly opens his eyes. There’s a glazed sheen to his eyes and he’s still glowing. Peter grabs Johnny’s hands and lifts them up for him to see. Johnny’s eyes widen and the glow begins to fade.

“What was that?” Peter asks. 

“I actually don’t know.” He looks up from his hands to Peter, lips red, and smirks. “I guess you just set my heart on fire,” he says, shrugging nonchalantly. 

Peter laughs and swoops back in to kiss him again.

He’s never been good at using his words and he hopes that when he kisses Johnny he communicates all that he wishes he could vocalize. 

He cares so much for this boy, for this golden, shining boy and Peter wants him to know that he won’t run again. That he’s here to _stay_ , for as long as Johnny will let him.

He thinks Johnny understands him because the kiss turns soft, gentle. 

Peter starts to smile into the kiss when the bathroom door handle jiggles, causing them to yank their heads back, Johnny smacking his against the door.

He curses quietly and rubs the back of his head as a man’s voice calls, “Hello?”

Johnny looks at Peter frantically. His hair is disheveled from where Peter’s hands wandered and his lips are swollen. Peter’s a little obsessed with how beautiful Johnny looks right now and he blurts out, “Sorry, the bathroom’s under maintenance right now!”

Peter can hear a man curse and tell the other person with him that they have to go find another bathroom. He holds his breath until the voices fade away.

He sighs and makes eye contact with Johnny. They stare at each other for a moment before they burst out laughing. Peter giggles and Johnny moves forward to rest his head against Peter’s shoulder. Peter brings his hand up to cup the back of his neck, moving his fingers through the blonde hair at his nape.

“Yeah,” Peter sighs after they’ve calmed down. Johnny glances up at him, confused. “I’m definitely bisexual,” Peter clarifies and then laughs again.

Johnny snorts and shakes his head. “God, I’ve literally been dreaming of kissing you since you lifted up your mask that one time…” he admits, grinning sheepishly at Peter. “Which was obviously wrong of me because I think you were having a panic attack and like, wow, that sounds bad when I say it out loud, um, I’m really sorry and now I feel gross and weird but like that was the first time I’d seen you without your suit and your lips looked really-”

Peter pecks his lips again, a quick thing, but Johnny’s eyelids flutter close anyway and a drunken smile appears on his face. 

“You were rambling.”

Johnny chuckles and pulls Peter in for a hug. His hands wrap around his back and he clings to Peter, burying his head in his shoulder.

Peter rests his chin on the boy’s head. “Please don’t run away,” he breathes into Johnny’s neck.

Johnny whispers back, “I don’t want to see you hurt again. It was…” He shifts, making himself comfortable in Peter’s arms. “I’ve never been so scared before.”

Peter runs a hand up and down Johnny’s spine, soothing him. Gently, he says, “I probably will get hurt again. It’s something I can’t promise.”

He feels Johnny nod against his shoulder. 

“But that’s just life,” Peter continues. “I’ve watched a lot of people I care about get hurt. The only thing you can do is cherish them before something bad happens.” He closes his eyes and breathes deeply. “It’s all we can do,” he says.

Peter opens his eyes and leans back, hooking his fingers under Johnny’s chin and gently guiding him up to meet his eyes. “At least you’ll be there to protect me when I do stupid stuff, right?”

Something in his wording makes Johnny choke out a sob, fresh tears running down his face. “God,” he says, wiping his nose. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“No,” Johnny laughs, all tears and snot. “No, I really don’t.” 

Peter feels his own tears coming back and he swallows them down, opting to lean forward and wipe Johnny’s eyes. He wipes the tears away and kisses the tip of his nose, before giving him a chaste kiss on his mouth.

Johnny pulls back first this time. “Doyouwannagoonadatewithme?” rushes out of his mouth.

Peter snorts out a laugh. “Johnny, I literally have no idea what you just said.”

Johnny’s blushing and smiling at Peter with something he thinks is fondness and it makes him flush. He feels exposed without his mask, but they both get to see each other as they really are and he wouldn’t dare change that. 

Johnny stands up from their spot beside the bathroom door, holding out his hands for Peter. 

Peter takes them and he’s hauled to his feet. Johnny pulls him closer so they’re almost chest to chest and wraps Peter’s hands in his own and holds them over his heart. 

Johnny stands there, holding Peter’s hands when he asks, “Do you, Peter Parker, want to go on a date? With me?” 

He’s looking at Peter through his eyelashes, making Peter melt. 

His eyes are round and he’s waiting for Peter’s answer.

So he gives it to him.

He surges forward and kisses Johnny softly, his hands still in Johnny’s. 

“Yes,” Peter says against his mouth. “I would love to.” 

Johnny pulls back and lets go of Peter’s hands, running a hand through his blonde hair. He sighs and leans back on the wall, putting a hand over his heart. “Thank _God_ ,” he says and looks at Peter sideways. “I seriously thought you were straight.”

 _Me too,_ Peter thinks and shakes his head.

“I was literally just kissing you,” he points out. 

“Before that,” he says in response. 

“Before?” Peter’s eyes widen. “How long have you liked me?” 

Johnny blushes. “Um… Pretty much when we met. You were really nice and stuff, so, yeah.” He clears his throat and looks away. 

“I think I liked you that long too,” Peter admits. 

“R-really?” 

Peter nods. “I didn’t know it at the time, but I did.” 

Johnny crosses his arms and attempts to lean seductively against the wall, which causes Peter to grin. “Well I mean who wouldn’t be attracted to this?” he jokes, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Oh, shut up,” Peter laughs, moving to lightly smack his shoulder 

Johnny catches his wrists instead and pulls him in for another kiss. 

Peter thinks his heart is on fire. Or maybe a nebula was just created in between his ribs. Or maybe he just really cares for this boy. 

“So,” Peter says, drawing out the vowel. “What’re we going to do on our date?” he asks as he pulls away, blushing slightly. He fiddles with Johnny’s fingers as he waits for him to respond. 

Johnny doesn’t say anything for a moment, just watches Peter’s hand entwined with his own. “I have a perfect idea,” he finally says.

He leans forward and whispers it into Peter’s ear, his breath tickling his ear and sending shivers through him. 

Peter grins and pulls away. “Sounds good.” He drops Johnny’s hands and steps back. He clears his throat. “We should probably get back out there. We’ve been gone awhile.”

“Wait,” Johnny says and pulls out his phone from the pocket of his black jeans, holding it out for Peter. “Can I have your number?”

Peter nods. “Yeah, sure.” He takes the phone, puts his contact in, and sends himself a message. 

He hands the phone back to him and Johnny furrows his eyebrows. “You put your name in as ‘Peter Parker’? Really?” 

Peter frowns. “It’s my name. What’s wrong with that?”

Johnny makes a humming noise and types something into his phone. He turns it around and shows Peter the screen. 

Above the text message he sent himself, is his contact name. It no longer says ‘Peter Parker’ but ‘My Boyfriend.’ 

“See?” Johnny grins. “Much better.” 

Peter blushes and tears his eyes away from the phone to look at Johnny. “Boyfriend?” he squeaks out.

Johnny lowers the phone, his smile faltering. “Is… is that okay?”

“Yes!” Peter blurts out. “Yes, that’s, that’s fine. Better than fine.” 

Johnny’s grin returns. “Okay, cool.”

Peter wills his blush away as they walk out of the bathroom. He pulls out his phone and checks the time. Peter notices he has over forty texts in his group chat with Ned and MJ and feels a pang of guilt for not letting them know what happened. 

“There's only ten minutes left of lunch,” he tells Johnny.

The boy nods and they walk down the hall in silence. His hand keeps brushing against Johnny’s and Peter wants to reach over and hold it, but that will create questions and stares he isn’t ready for yet. 

They stop by the outdoor eating area where the rest of the students are ambling around. Peter spots MJ and Ned sitting at a table, bent over one of their phones, talking. 

“So…” Peter starts, looking back at Johnny. 

“See you tomorrow night?” Johnny asks, smiling. 

Peter grins. “Yeah. See you tomorrow.”

A boy and a girl walk past the door, carrying trays and Johnny’s eyes follow them.

“Your friends?” Peter guesses. 

“Yeah,” he answers. Before Peter can react, Johnny quickly moves forward and pecks his cheek. “I’ll see you later, Peter.” He walks backward and winks, blowing Peter a kiss. He rolls his eyes as Johnny opens the door and calls out, “Miles! Kate! Wait up!” running to catch up to them. 

Peter smiles to himself and goes out after him and makes his way over to his friend’s table. 

“Hey, guys,” he says, plopping down across from them. 

MJ and Ned look up from MJ’s phone and immediately start yelling.

“Dude! Where the hell did you go? You didn’t answer our texts,” Ned says. 

“We saw you knock that display over and then you walked away with your partner. Did you get in trouble?” MJ asks. 

Ned chirps in right after. “Yeah, where did you and that guy go?” 

“Did they call the police?” MJ says.

“No, MJ, why would they call the police?” Peter asks, cutting them both off before they can keep asking him questions. 

She shrugs. “Why not?”

“I accidentally backed up into it and knocked it over,” Peter explains. “I fell down with it and got a cut so I went to the bathroom with Johnny to clean it.”

“You guys sure were in there for a long time,” MJ says, raising an eyebrow at Peter. 

He wants to tell them what happened and who Johnny really is, but he doesn’t know if the other boy would be okay with Peter’s friends knowing he’s the Human Torch. He shrugs and ignores MJ’s stare.

“It was a big cut,” he lies.

“And you heal fast,” MJ counters. 

Peter just shrugs again and leans over the table toward Ned. 

“Do you have any extra food? I wasn’t here in time to get lunch.” 

Ned nods and hands him a bag of chips. “That’s all I have left.” 

“That’s fine.” Peter rips open the bag and starts eating. “Thanks.” 

“So what are you going to do about your worksheet?” Ned asks. 

“I can probably just do it on my own. I’m sure Mr. Hutchins will understand.” 

Ned agrees and turns back to MJ to show her something on his phone. They continue talking about what they were watching before Peter came over.

While they talk, Peter looks around at the other students finishing their lunch and spies Johnny in the crowd. He catches his eye and they share a small smile before Peter looks down at the table, still grinning.

He looks up to see Ned frowning at him while MJ smirks beside him, like she has it all figured out, which, well, she probably does.

“You okay?” Ned asks. 

Peter feels a swell of happiness overtake him. He’s so lucky that he has MJ and Ned. That he has Aunt May. That he has Johnny now too. He has all these wonderful people that care about him. 

He’s lucky. He really, really is. 

“Yeah,” he says, slightly choked up. “Yeah, everything’s okay.” 

And he means it.

__________

The next evening, when the light is slowly fading, Peter looks at himself in the mirror, suit on and mask off. He runs a hand through his hair and turns to Aunt May. “Be honest, does my hair look bad after I take my mask off?”

She shakes her head. “I think the whole disheveled look going on makes you look handsome,” she grins.

Peter rolls his eyes and looks back at the mirror. “You’re my aunt, you have to say that.”

Aunt May laughs and walks up behind Peter, putting her chin on his head and her hands on his shoulders. “You are handsome and kind and any person would be lucky to be going on a date with the one and only Peter Parker.”

Peter blushes and laughs, smiling at his aunt in the mirror.

She kisses the top of his head and steps back. She ruffles his hair and Peter groans and ducks out of her way. 

“So,” Aunt May drawls as she flops onto his bed, crossing her legs. Peter looks at himself in the mirror as she says it. He brushes his hair up with his hands, only for it to fall back into place. He groans and turns around to wait for his aunt to continue her sentence. “Do you _like_ like Johnny?” she asks, wiggling her eyebrows.

Peter, trusting Aunt May with his life, had told her about Johnny’s hero identity. She hadn’t batted an eye when Peter had told her he was going on a date with a boy. She’d just patted the couch cushion beside her and asked for all the details. She had been cautious at first when he’d told her it was Torch he was going out with, but when he’d told her what had happened on the field trip she had relaxed. 

She’d clasped Peter’s hands in her own and smiled when she’d said, “I should have known you liked the Human Torch from how much you talked about him,” which had caused Peter to shriek and Aunt May to laugh.

Then she had gone into Aunt Mode and yelled at him for knocking over a display, which, yeah, fair enough. 

Peter flushes and turns back to the mirror. Aunt May’s watching him in the reflection and Peter clears his throat. “I mean.” He looks down at the mask in his hands. “Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

“Aw, look at you!” she exclaims and jumps up, wrapping Peter in a hug. “You’re growing up!”

He laughs at his aunt in the mirror. She has her arms wrapped around his waist and she’s resting her chin on his head. 

His smile falters and he looks away. 

Aunt May notices and pulls back, placing her hands on his shoulders. 

“What’s up?” 

“I wish Mr. Stark could have met Johnny,” he says, looking down. “I think he would’ve liked him.” 

Aunt May turns him around by his shoulders and hugs him tightly. “I know, sweetie,” she says into his hair. “I know.” 

Peter hugs her back, throat tight. He drops his mask on the bedroom floor and steps closer. He takes a deep breath, breathing in her perfume. She smells like home and Peter’s so thankful he gets to call her his aunt. 

“I love you,” he says into her shoulder.

“I love you too,” she says back, voice hoarse. 

Aunt May pulls away first, keeping her hands on Peter’s shoulders, holding him there. “I am so incredibly proud of you, you know that don’t you?”

Warmth bubbles up in Peter’s chest and a shit-eating grin appears on his face. “Well, I know that _now_.”

“Oh, ha ha, very funny,” she snorts and lightly smacks Peter on the arm as she walks away. Jokingly, she says, “I was just trying to be affectionate but I guess I should’ve known that would backfire with a teenager.” She stops at his bedroom door, looks down at her watch and adds, “You should probably leave now, the sun will be setting soon.” 

Peter glances at his bedroom window to see the sky slowly darkening.

“Okay, I’ll be out in a second.”

Aunt May gives him another smile before closing the door.

Peter picks up his mask and looks in the mirror again. He takes a deep breath and lets it out. 

He’s going on a date with Torch. 

With _Johnny_.

Peter grins and pumps his fists in the air. He definitely does _not_ squeal. 

As soon as he enters the living room, Aunt May rushes over to him. “Don’t forget to give him the flowers you picked up,” she says, thrusting the small bouquet into his hands. “Boys deserve flowers too.”

Oh. Peter never really thought about getting flowers on a date, he always thought he’d be the one to give them. He rubs his fingers on one of the petals of the purple lilacs. “Yeah, I guess we do.”

Aunt May shuffles him over to the couch and tells him to smile. She has her phone in her hand.

“Aunt May,” Peter groans, pouting at her. 

She lowers the phone and points a finger at him. “This is a milestone, okay? Let me just have one picture.”

Peter plasters a smile on his face and grinds out, “Fine.” 

She definitely snaps more than just one picture before Peter informs her he has to leave now or he’ll be late. 

“Okay, okay,” she hushes him. She walks with Peter to the front door and hugs him. “Be safe. And let me know when you’ll be coming home.” 

“Okay, I will,” Peter nods and turns away, slinging his backpack over one shoulder. 

He waves goodbye to Aunt May and she calls out, “Have fun!” 

“Will do! Bye, love you!”

“Love you too!”

He turns around and makes his way into the city. He finds an alleyway and changes into his suit, careful not to crush the flowers.

 _A fun night planned, Peter?_ Karen says to him when he’s suited up.

“Yeah, actually,” he replies, smiling. He starts telling Karen about what happened on the field trip, telling her that Johnny is the Human Torch. He wouldn’t expose Johnny’s hero identity to anyone else, except Aunt May because he can’t lie to her about this, but he knows Karen can’t exactly tell anyone so it’s okay.

Peter swings through the city as he talks, the setting sun painting the world in gold.

Karen chuckles in his ear when he’s finished with the story. _I am glad to see you so excited. Does this boy, Johnny, feel the same way?_

Peter feels a swarm of butterflies in his stomach. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure he does.”

The sun casts a warm glow over the world and Peter feels lighter than he has for a long time. A bubble of laughter spills out as he swings up to the Statue of Liberty’s torch. He whoops as he lands, and he can’t help but grin at the setting sun. 

He looks around, but Johnny isn’t there yet. He starts to feel a little nervous and shoves it down.

“Um, so I’m going to take off my mask now,” he tells Karen.

_Okay, Peter. Have fun._

“Thanks,” he says and pulls the mask off. 

The sound of the wind fills his ears and he starts running his hands through his hair, trying to fix it. He stops and moves over to the edge of the Statue of Liberty, resting his elbows on the railing and looking out over New York. The sky’s reflected in the water below and it looks as if the world’s been painted over in hues of red, blue, orange, and purple, with flecks of pink in the shape of clouds.

Peter’s taking everything in when he sees him. Well, he doesn’t actually notice him at first, rather his senses start tingling. He looks over to his right and watches as his boyfriend comes barreling toward him like a falling star. 

It’s just like the first time he saw him and Peter has to stop himself from laughing at how oddly poetic it is. 

He moves away from the railing, flowers clasped in one hand and his mask in the other, as he watches Johnny slowly descend. 

He’s ablaze against the darkening sky, flames licking the air around him. He rivals the sun and Peter briefly wonders what it feels like to fall in love. 

Johnny’s flames die out as lands in front of him. He’s in his Fantastic Four suit and he’s grinning at Peter, a light blush on his cheeks.

“Hi,” he breathes. 

“Hi,” Peter greets him back.

They stare at each other for a moment, taking in the sight that they’re really here together, without masks or flames getting in the way. 

Johnny clears his throat. “So, I got you flowers. Er, I mean _a_ flower.”

He holds the flower out to Peter. It’s a single lavender rose that’s slightly scorched at the tips.

Peter finds it endearing. 

He takes it from Johnny with his hand that’s holding his mask and smells it, breathing in deeply. He looks back up at Johnny and thanks him. 

“Yeah,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “No problem.”

Peter holds out the bouquet. “I actually brought you some too.”

“Oh,” Johnny responds, obviously just noticing the flowers in Peter’s other hand. “Thank you,” he says and Peter notices his blush darkening. 

They stand there awkwardly, holding their flowers, when Johnny finally speaks up.

“So, I thought we could stargaze.” Johnny says, unsure. “I brought some blankets and pillows up here yesterday evening so it’s all set up. They’re on the Statue of Liberty’s head.” 

“Oh, oh wow okay.”

“Is that okay?” Johnny asks.

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

Johnny smiles. “Okay, cool.”

Peter holds out the rose for Johnny to take and puts on his mask.

“You hold the flowers and I’ll hold onto you,” he explains. 

“Okay,” Johnny says, a lopsided smile appearing on his face as he shrugs. “I guess that’s only fair considering I’ve carried you twice now.” 

Peter snorts and moves forward. He opens his arms wide. “Jump on me.”

“What?” Johnny laughs. “Like a koala?”

He nods and Johnny laughs as he jumps up into Peter’s arms, wrapping his hands around his neck. The flowers are tickling his nape and Johnny’s breathing against the shell of his ear.

“Comfy?” Peter asks as he tightens his hold around Johnny’s back.

The other boy tucks his head into Peter’s collarbone. “Very,” he murmurs.

“Alright, hold on tight.”

Peter swings up and Johnny’s grip tightens around his neck. 

He doesn’t take them to the top right away, but rather gives Johnny’s a ride around the statue. Johnny pulls his face away from Peter’s shoulder and howls with laughter as they swing through the air.

They must look like an odd pair: Spider-Man carrying the Human Torch as they swing around the Statue of Liberty, the Human Torch holding a single rose alongside a bouquet of flowers. But the sun’s sunk low enough beyond the horizon that no one would be able to see them against the fading light.

After a few minutes, Peter swings them up to the top of the statue, next to the slope of the crown and sets Johnny down. He takes off his mask and goes to pull away from Johnny, but the other boy drops the flowers and cups Peter’s face to drag him into a kiss. “Thank you,” he says breathlessly against his lips. “That was amazing.” 

Peter blushes and looks down at his feet. “Well, you know, like you said, I owed you.”

He looks up at Johnny, who’s he’s watching him fondly, smile lopsided and eyes crinkling in the corners. He brings his hand to Peter’s and intertwines their fingers together.

He bends down to pick up the flowers with his other hand. “Sorry for dropping them, I just really wanted to kiss you.”

“Fine by me,” Peter shrugs, like his heart isn’t beating erratically against his rib cage.

Johnny huffs out a small laugh and tugs on his hand. “Come on.” He leads Peter over to some blankets and pillows that are set up so they’re resting against the slope of the Statue of Liberty’s crown. 

Johnny lets go of his hand and walks over to the other side, setting the flowers down and pulling the blankets back before crawling under them. He lifts the other side up and holds it for Peter. “Come on, I’m like your own personal heater,” he jokes, wiggling his eyebrows.

Peter rolls his eyes and slips under the blankets, cuddling into Johnny’s side. He has to admit, Johnny is pretty warm. He tilts his head back and looks up at the sky.

The sun’s last rays of light are gone and the stars are beginning to peek out through the scattered clouds. He can see the North Star faintly winking at him, but it’s nothing like watching Johnny blaze through the night sky.

Johnny leans closer, resting his head on Peter’s shoulder. “Was your teacher mad? About knocking the panda over,” he clarifies.

“No,” Peter says. “He knows I’m a good student so he believed me when I told him it was just an accident.” He sighs. “Everyone at school kept giving me looks though, whispering to their friends and stuff.” 

“I’ll beat them up for you,” Johnny jokes.

Peter shakes his head fondly. “I think I can handle them myself.”

Johnny shifts back a little so he can look Peter up and down, causing him to blush. “Yeah, you’re right.”

Peter snorts and shoves him lightly. Johnny catches his wrists and pulls him in, so Peter’s back is to his chest. 

“Wanna see something cool?” he whispers into Peter’s ear. 

“What?”

Johnny stretches out his hand in front of them, the other wrapped around Peter’s stomach, holding him close. He lights his hand up and flicks it. The flames dance and turn into a heart, blue flames licking the center, before merging back together and dying out.

Johnny turns to him, his nose almost brushing Peter’s. “Cool, huh?” he grins.

Peter shifts and leans over Johnny, placing a hand over his heart and kissing him. “Dork,” he says into his mouth.

Johnny laughs quietly against his lips and pulls him back in, hands moving to the small of Peter’s back. He pulls away after a moment, his pupils blown and a dopey smile on his face. “So,” he says, clearing his throat. Peter doesn’t want to make him uncomfortable so he moves back, leaning against his side. “I want you to meet my family.” 

“The Fantastic Four?” Peter stutters, eyes wide.

Johnny nods, chuckling at his reaction. “Not like, tomorrow or anything, but… soon.”

“Do they know…?”

“That I’m gay?” Johnny shakes his head. “I know they’ll be fine with it, but it’s still terrifying to think about.” 

Peter’s been in more dangerous situations than he can keep track of but he understands what Johnny means.

Revealing yourself to the world is scary, especially when it’s to the people you love. It hurts more when you find out someone you love doesn’t love all of you, doesn’t love the parts that make you, you.

You have to be insanely courageous to show someone who you truly are.

Peter grips Johnny’s hand in his own. “Coming out is all up to you,” he says. “Coming out isn’t for anyone else except _you_. You’ll always have people there who will support you, but, unfortunately, this is something you have to do on your own.”

“I know,” Johnny sighs. 

“It’ll be fine, I know it,” he reassures him. “Your sister seems like she loves you a lot.”

“She does.”

“Then you’ll be okay. And you have my number,” Peter adds. “If, and I mean _if_ , anything goes wrong, give me a call. But I know it won’t.” 

“Yeah. Yeah, you’re right,” Johnny agrees.

Peter cuddles closer to Johnny, the cold wind biting his cheeks.

“Do your friends know you're gay?” he asks. 

Johnny nods. “Yeah, they’re cool. I actually want you to meet them too.” 

“They’re the ones I saw on the field trip, right? The ones who also have superpowers?” 

“Yeah.” Johnny laughs a little, like he’s embarrassed. “I actually told them about my crush on you,” he admits. “And I trust them a lot and it’d be awesome if you could get to know them. I’d love to meet your friends too,” he adds. 

“All of us should hang out when me and my friends get back,” Peter suggests. “It’d be fun.” 

“Wait, ‘get back’?” Peter turns to look at Johnny, who’s frowning at him. “What are you talking about?” 

“Oh my god,” Peter groans. “Shit. I forgot to tell you. I’m so sorry! So much happened and I-”

“Peter, it’s okay,” Johnny says, holding his hand under the blankets. Johnny rubs his thumb over his knuckles and Peter thinks if he wasn’t sitting down he would swoon. He can feel Johnny’s warmth radiating through him and he relaxes into the feeling.

“I’m going on a trip to Europe with some classmates for school,” Peter explains. “I leave on Monday. Did I really not tell you?”

Johnny shakes his head. 

“Shit, I’m sorry. I guess I had a lot on my mind,” Peter says. 

Johnny squeezes his hand. “It’s okay Peter, really. And to be fair we didn’t exactly talk for a month,” he laughs.

Peter snorts. “Yeah, guess you’re right.”

He sighs and shifts against Peter’s side, yawning. “So how long will you be gone for?”

“Like three weeks.”

“Three weeks!?” Johnny yelps.

“I know,” Peter says sheepishly. “I’m sorry.” 

“Well,” he starts, “I survived a whole month not seeing you, I guess three weeks isn’t _too_ bad.” 

Peter chuckles at his boyfriend. “You really do always look on the bright side of things, don’t you?”

Johnny lights up his fingers and wiggles them. “Always.” 

If this was anyone else, Peter would be a little bit scared at how fast he’s fallen for them. But it’s Johnny, the boy who’s so optimistic and cheerful he makes Peter smile by just being with him.

Peter thinks that one day he could picture himself telling Johnny he loves him.

He burrows down under the blankets, resting his head against Johnny’s chest. The stars are winking at them from above and he’s safe and warm in Johnny’s arms.

“When you get back,” Johnny says, voice slightly wistful, “you can meet my friends and family and I can meet yours. And I’ll take you to this one restaurant that serves the best bread rolls.”

Peter snorts out a laugh. “I can’t wait.” 

He wraps an arm around Peter’s shoulder and pulls him in close. Johnny rests his cheek on Peter’s head and sighs happily.

“Stay safe over there, okay?” Johnny whispers.

The stars are glowing above them and Peter feels so _alive_ and so _loved_. He’s so lucky and thankful that despite everything that has happened to the both of them, they somehow still found each other.

“I’m only going on vacation,” he whispers back, eyes drooping as he smiles against Johnny’s chest. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

**Author's Note:**

> Johnny watching the news and seeing Spider-Man fighting villains in Europe: WhAt'S tHe WoRsT tHaT cOuLd HaPpEn
> 
> I'm going to make a part two that's set after the events of Far From Home sometime soon and it will be part of this series.  
> Thanks for reading!


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